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/2255 Issobell Sinclair

name of accused
Issobell Sinclair
designated title
no information
Accused Reference
A/EGD/2191
Case date start
no information
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

  • not enough information (secondary characteristic)
  • not enough information (primary characteristic)
  • white magic (secondary characteristic)
Characterisation Notes
None
additional persons
name involvement notes
no additional persons recorded

Qualitative information

Non-natural beings

Notes
meeting with the pharie
  • Fairy

Demonic pacts

  • no information

witches meetings

Notes
None

Meeting places

  • no information

musical instruments

  • no information

Folk culture

  • Elphane or Fairyland
  • Specific ritual acts
Notes
Rituals for protecting cattle at Halloween. Using linen cloth and a hair of the beast. Says she was with the pharie. They gave her second sight to know if any fey body are in the house.

Counter strategies

  • no information

white magic

  • Protective
  • Second Sight

Elf/fairy elements

  • Group of fairies

Shape-changing

  • no information

Ritual objects

  • Cloth
  • Hair
  • Salt water

Religious motif

  • no information

Calendar customs

  • Halloween

Diseases or illness

Notes
None

Cause of witch's malice

  • no information

Other maleficia

Damage to property

  • no information

weather modification

  • no information

Notes
None

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
Ultimate day of Feb.
references
name notes
Marwick Collection D31/4/3 His notes on primary documents that aren't held in Orkney. DAL. pp. 193; 470