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/307 Janet Millar

name of accused
Janet Millar
designated title
no information
Accused Reference
A/EGD/296
Case date start
23/6/1658
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

  • Implicated by another (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
A man in black was at the food party, but doesn't specify that it was the Devil.
  • no information

Demonic pacts

  • no information

witches meetings

Notes
A description of a table laid out with 'boylies, beif and bread' at M. Gourley's house. Janet was offered food but refused. Doesn't specify that it was a witches meeting. Suspicious things were seen, a black corbie with a black man.

Meeting places

  • no information

musical instruments

  • no information

Folk culture

Notes
Confessed to doing something with woollen yarn placed around, the text is unclear.

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

Notes
None

Cause of witch's malice

  • no information

Other maleficia

Damage to property

  • no information

weather modification

  • no information

Notes
She was accused of being an accomplice to Gourley's (c/egd/308) firestarting. She claimed that she and Gourley took 5 burning coals and put them in places of the house that burnt down.

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. 243r None
Stirling Presbytery records CH2/722/6, pp. 89-97. None
Process Notes JC26/26 bundle 3 'Stirling witches' items 3, 6 Witness depositions.
Process Notes JC26/26 bundle 3 'Stirling witches', item 17 arraignment list
Process Notes JC26/26 bundle 3 'Stirling witches', item 20 mentioned
Process Notes JC26/26 Stirling Court Roll None