The Survey of Scottish Witchcraft

1563-1736

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

The Survey of Scottish Witchcraft logo

Case Details

C/EGD/2149 Katherine Gerard

name of accused
Katherine Gerard
designated title
no information
Accused Reference
A/EGD/2096
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

  • maleficium (secondary characteristic)
  • maleficium (primary characteristic)
  • Implicated by another (secondary characteristic)
Characterisation Notes
No mention of any demonic features or pact. All malefice and association with other accused witches.

Qualitative information

Non-natural beings

Notes
None
  • no information

Demonic pacts

  • no information

witches meetings

Notes
None

Meeting places

  • no information

musical instruments

  • no information

Folk culture

  • Specific ritual acts
Notes
None

Counter strategies

  • no information

white magic

  • no information

Elf/fairy elements

  • no information

Shape-changing

  • no information

Ritual objects

  • Bread

Religious motif

  • no information

Calendar customs

  • no information

Diseases or illness

  • Human illness
  • Human death
Notes
Accused of having cast an illness onto the miller. Also accused of sending a poisoned loaf (leaff) to 2 women who later died. Accused of murdering a man in revenge for 'injuries and wrangis'.

Cause of witch's malice

  • Revenge

Other maleficia

  • Property damage

    • Damage to property

    • Mill

    weather modification

    • no information

    Notes
    Accused of having bewitched a mill but needed the assistance of another accused witch, Christian Reid, to remove the bewitchment.

    Other charges

    • Poisoning
    • Murder
    Notes
    Accused of murdering two women by poisoning and also of murdering her own (first?) husband.

    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. 174-7. None
    Spalding Club Miscellany Vol V, p 67-8. Accounts for execution.