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/2394 Geillis Frissell

name of accused
Geillis Frissell
designated title
no information
Accused Reference
A/EGD/2323
Case date start
24/6/1649
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

  • consulting (secondary characteristic)
  • not enough information (secondary characteristic)
  • white magic (secondary characteristic)
  • white magic (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 ritual acts
Notes
This group of individuals were all investigated for turning of the riddle - prophecy. It is not clear who carried out the ritual as they all seem to have done it themselves. This is not really witchcraft and the kirk session did not refer to it as such.

Counter strategies

  • no information

white magic

  • Prophesy

Elf/fairy elements

  • no information

Shape-changing

  • no information

Ritual objects

  • Sieve

Religious motif

  • no information

Calendar customs

  • no information

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
None
references
name notes
Kingarth Kirk Session records CH2/219/1 ff.12-14. See also H Paton 'Kingarth Parish Records' Edinburgh, 1932, pp. 12, 13, & 15. The project did not check Larner's reference to this printed secondary source as part of the research.