The Survey of Scottish Witchcraft

1563-1736

By Julian Goodare, Lauren Martin, Joyce Miller and Louise Yeoman, January 2003

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Case Details

C/EGD/2148 Christian Reid

name of accused
Christian Reid
designated title
no information
Accused Reference
A/EGD/2095
Case date start
15/4/1597
Given case date
no information
Case commission
no information
case complaint
no information
case correspondence
no information
case chronicle
no information
other details
no information

characterisation

  • unorthodox religious practise (secondary characteristic)
  • demonic (secondary characteristic)
  • maleficium (secondary characteristic)
  • maleficium (primary characteristic)
Characterisation Notes
None

Qualitative information

Non-natural beings

Notes
No confession of pact but her dittay implies that that she was in Satan's thrall. Also Christonday mentioned in the verbal prayer to remove bewitchment but Reid did not describe who this was.
  • Spirit Christonday

Demonic pacts

  • no information

witches meetings

Notes
None

Meeting places

  • no information

musical instruments

  • no information

Folk culture

  • Specific Verbal Formulae
  • Specific ritual acts
  • Unorthodox religious practice
  • Sympathetic magic
Notes
Confessed that she offered to remove a bewitchment from a mill. Went to another accused person, Katherine Gerard, who told her to take sand from the north door of the mill and throw it over the wheels and stones in the name of God and Christonday. The mill then started to work again. Also confessed that she and Gerard had met and with a feather had cast the bewitchment on the mill earlier.

Counter strategies

  • no information

white magic

  • no information

Elf/fairy elements

  • no information

Shape-changing

  • no information

Ritual objects

  • Sand
  • Feathers

Religious motif

  • Prayer

Calendar customs

  • no information

Diseases or illness

  • Laying on
  • Removal bewitchment
Notes
Confessed to assisting another accused bewitch a mill and then went to the miller and offered to remove the bewitchment in return for reward.

Cause of witch's malice

  • no information

Other maleficia

  • Property damage

    • Damage to property

    • Mill

    weather modification

    • no information

    Notes
    None

    Other charges

    • no information

    Notes
    None

    Plea

    Claimed bewitched
    no
    Claimed possessed
    no
    Admitted lesser charges
    no
    No defence
    no
    Claimed natural causes
    no
    Notes
    None
    Case Notes
    None
    references
    name notes
    Spalding Club Miscellany Vol I, pp. 173-4, 175-6. None
    Spalding Club Miscellany Vol V, pp. 67-8. Accounts for execution.