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/273 Elspeth Cuninghame

name of accused
Elspeth Cuninghame
designated title
no information
Accused Reference
A/EGD/262
Case date start
7/10/1651
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

  • demonic (secondary characteristic)
  • maleficium (secondary characteristic)
  • neighbourhood dispute (secondary characteristic)
  • neighbourhood dispute (primary characteristic)
Characterisation Notes
With the draft dittay it definitely seems to be neighbourhood dispute.

Qualitative information

Non-natural beings

Notes
Was witnessed by 5 people, the pin was stuck up to its head with no sensation and no blood.
  • no information

Demonic pacts

  • Devil's Mark
  • Servant
  • Anti-baptism

witches meetings

  • Witches meeting
  • Devil present
  • Malificium
  • Food and drink
  • Dancing
Notes
She said at the meeting they 'sought the good of the fruits of ye ground and fisheing af ye sea from Sathan'. And they supposedly drank porter at the meeting at the Kirk of Irvine.

Meeting places

  • None Hilltop
  • Irvine Kirk

musical instruments

  • no information

Folk culture

  • Specific ritual acts
Notes
Walked Widdershins.

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

  • Whitsunday
  • Michaelmas

Diseases or illness

  • Human illness
  • Human death
  • Quarreling
  • Cursing
Notes
Caused a drunken man to beat his wife. Destroyed alehouse ale after she was refused a pint. Destroyed someone else's ale. A lot of quarrels.

Cause of witch's malice

  • no information

Other maleficia

  • Property damage

    • Damage to property

    • Ale

    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
    Circuit Court Books JC10/1 fo. 214r, 235r None
    Circuit Court Books JC10/1 fo. 254v-256r, 256v, 257r None
    Process Notes JC26/25 Ayr Court list from 6/4/1658 and a dittay inside the roll, and three Porteous Rolls.
    Process Notes JC26/26 Ayr Court roll (skinny one), dittay roll None
    Process Notes JC26/26 None
    Ayr Council Records (MS in Carnegie Library Ayr) II, p. 80b, 91b None