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/2174 Jonat Leisk

name of accused
Jonat Leisk
designated title
no information
Accused Reference
A/EGD/2119
Case date start
21/11/1507
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)
  • Implicated by another (secondary characteristic)
  • neighbourhood dispute (secondary characteristic)
  • property motive (secondary characteristic)
  • property motives (primary characteristic)
Characterisation Notes
One of her alleged victims had obtained a tack of land that her son occupied. Appears to have been confronted by Andro Man, who identified her as a witch. This also appears to have been a dispute among different families as the charges were dropped, the pursuers were banned from taking the case further but also the accused families were not to cause the Crukshanks any trouble.

Qualitative information

Non-natural beings

Notes
None
  • no information

Demonic pacts

  • no information

witches meetings

Notes
Accused of having attended conventions and meetings with other witches but no details. Leisk does not appear to have confessed to any meetings.

Meeting places

  • no information

musical instruments

  • no information

Folk culture

  • Specific Verbal Formulae
  • Specific ritual acts
  • Unorthodox religious practice
  • Sympathetic magic
Notes
She cursed one of her victims before the Ruidday. Plucked 3 goose feathers from her sister's geese and blew them off her hand - geese immediately died. Claimed that she took a slaughtered cockerel and fire from her old house to her new tack at Furde of Fortrie, which was claimed to be 2 special points of witchcraft. Accused of tying red thread to the tails of her cows. Accused of using a wax picture to harm one of her victims, who sweated and burned in a fever and could not quench his thirst.

Counter strategies

  • no information

white magic

  • no information

Elf/fairy elements

  • no information

Shape-changing

  • no information

Ritual objects

  • Feathers
  • Fire
  • Cockerel
  • Thread
  • Wax/clay images

Religious motif

  • Three

Calendar customs

  • Ruidday
  • Whitsunday

Diseases or illness

  • Human illness
  • Human death
  • Animal illness
  • Animal death
  • Male impotence
  • Transferring disease
  • Quarreling
  • Cursing
Notes
Flyted with her sister after sheep had ruined her linen, which was being bleached. Accused by one of her son-in-laws of causing his impotence.

Cause of witch's malice

  • Revenge

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, pp. 135-137, 138-140. Second entry records that she was 'clenged' (cleansed) of the charges.