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/2159 Ellen Gray

name of accused
Ellen Gray (alias Helen)
designated title
no information
Accused Reference
A/EGD/2106
Case date start
29/1/1597
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

  • demonic (secondary characteristic)
  • maleficium (secondary characteristic)
  • maleficium (primary characteristic)
  • white magic (secondary characteristic)
Characterisation Notes
None

Qualitative information

Non-natural beings

Notes
None
  • Male Old beared man in white
  • Male no details

Demonic pacts

  • Servant

witches meetings

  • Devil present
Notes
None

Meeting places

  • Slains Jail
  • near her house Loch

musical instruments

  • no information

Folk culture

  • Specific Verbal Formulae
  • Specific ritual acts
  • Shape changing
Notes
Caused a man's wand to never lie down. He later died.

Counter strategies

  • Appeasement

white magic

  • Love magic

Elf/fairy elements

  • no information

Shape-changing

  • Animal Dog
  • Animal Cat

Ritual objects

  • no information

Religious motif

  • no information

Calendar customs

  • no information

Diseases or illness

  • Human illness
  • Human death
  • Animal illness
  • Laying on
  • Removal bewitchment
  • Cursing
Notes
Accused of spoiling milk (cow and human). Restored milk after woman asked for her health three times.

Cause of witch's malice

  • no information

Other maleficia

  • Property damage

    • Damage to property

    • Dairy
    • Whole Estate

    weather modification

    • no information

    Notes
    Accused of reducing a man to poverty after they had argued.

    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. 125-8. Includes dittay and verdict.
    Spalding Club Miscellany Vol V, p 68. Burgh accounts for her execution - no date.