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/2160 Agnes Wobster

name of accused
Agnes Wobster
designated title
no information
Accused Reference
A/EGD/2107
Case date start
24/4/1597
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
None
  • Animal Devil as a lamb
  • Animal Devil as a calf

Demonic pacts

  • Servant
  • Want nothing

witches meetings

Notes
None

Meeting places

  • no information

musical instruments

  • no information

Folk culture

  • Elphane or Fairyland
  • Specific ritual acts
  • Shape changing
  • Unorthodox religious practice
  • Sympathetic magic
Notes
Claimed that she gave 'devilische potage' to a woman. She claimed it was brawn and jelly but the woman refused it otherwise she would have died. Witness claimed that she, or a devil in her likeness, appeared and vomited and spewed fyrie brunndes (brands) from her mouth. Accused of having gone three times to a stone, called the Curstane, at sunrise in May.

Counter strategies

  • no information

white magic

  • no information

Elf/fairy elements

  • Sunrise

Shape-changing

  • Apparition as herself or a devil in her likeness

Ritual objects

  • Pottage
  • Stones

Religious motif

  • Three

Calendar customs

  • None

Diseases or illness

  • Human illness
  • Human death
  • Animal illness
  • Animal death
Notes
Accused of making a boy ill after he had shot at her.

Cause of witch's malice

  • Refusal of alms
  • Revenge

Other maleficia

  • Property damage

    • Damage to property

    • Dairy

    weather modification

    • no information

    Notes
    Wobster asked for milk from another woman but was refused. Later the cow's milk dried up.

    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, p 128-30. None
    Spalding Club Miscellany Vol V, p 68. None