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/2173 Gilbert Fidlar

name of accused
Gilbert Fidlar
designated title
no information
Accused Reference
A/EGD/2118
Case date start
21/11/1597
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)
  • Implicated by another (secondary characteristic)
  • neighbourhood dispute (secondary characteristic)
  • neighbourhood dispute (primary characteristic)
  • property motive (secondary characteristic)
Characterisation Notes
Accused of causing illness and death. Associated with his mother-in-law who was also accused. Identified as a witch by Andro Man. However, this seems to have been some local dispute as the three accused were acquitted and the two sides (pursuers - the Crukshanks - and accused) were ordered to leave each other alone.

Qualitative information

Non-natural beings

Notes
None
  • no information

Demonic pacts

  • no information

witches meetings

Notes
Claimed to have been associated with his mother-in-law Jonat Leisk, who was also accused of witchcraft. He did not confess to any meetings.

Meeting places

  • no information

musical instruments

  • no information

Folk culture

  • Specific ritual acts
  • Sympathetic magic
Notes
Accused of having used a pair of shoes to bewitch another person.

Counter strategies

  • no information

white magic

  • no information

Elf/fairy elements

  • no information

Shape-changing

  • no information

Ritual objects

  • Shoes

Religious motif

  • no information

Calendar customs

  • no information

Diseases or illness

  • Human illness
  • Human death
Notes
Accused of having given Lady Errol a pair of bewitched shoes, which caused her take a violent sickness. He was pursued by Lord Errol's kin and fled from the area. Later accused of having caused the death of a man with his mother-in-law Jonet Leisk

Cause of witch's malice

  • no information

Other maleficia

Damage to property

  • no information

weather modification

  • no information

Notes
None

Other charges

  • Murder
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 137-140. Second entry records that Fidlar was 'clengit' (cleansed) of the accustions.