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/2307 William Scottie

name of accused
William Scottie
designated title
no information
Accused Reference
A/EGD/2242
Case date start
2/1/1643
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

  • folk healing (secondary characteristic)
  • maleficium (secondary characteristic)
  • not enough information (secondary characteristic)
  • not enough information (primary characteristic)
Characterisation Notes
None
additional persons
name involvement notes
no additional persons recorded

Qualitative information

Non-natural beings

Notes
None
  • no information

Demonic pacts

  • no information

witches meetings

Notes
None

Meeting places

  • no information

musical instruments

  • no information

Folk culture

  • Specific Verbal Formulae
  • Specific ritual acts
Notes
His son confessed that whenever his father prayed for ill for any people that he did not like, then it would come to pass. Went twice or thrice withershins about a house and later the woman took ill.

Counter strategies

  • no information

white magic

  • no information

Elf/fairy elements

  • no information

Shape-changing

  • no information

Ritual objects

  • no information

Religious motif

  • no information

Calendar customs

  • no information

Diseases or illness

  • Human illness
  • Animal death
  • Transferring disease
  • Cursing
  • Healing humans
  • Healing animals
Notes
Accused of having stroked an ill cow then touched a cat, which fell dead. Healed a woman's sore side by putting his hand on her side then touching the hearth stone. Caused woman to lose her milk until he touched her. She recovered but a mare then died.

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
None
references
name notes
Orkney Presbytery Records CH2/1082/1, p 215. See also J G Dalyell 'Darker Superstitions of Scotland' Edinburgh, 1834, pp. 109, 125 & 459. The project did not check this printed secondary reference as part of the research.
Marwick Collection D31/4/3. Marwick collection in Orkney Archives also notes there was/is information in Records of Orkney Sheriff Court but the primary source has not been located.