Survey of Scottish Witchcraft, 1563 - 1736

Goodare, Julian; Yeoman, Louise; Martin, Lauren; Miller, Joyce

Case Details

C/EGD/312 Jean Sydserff

name of accused: Jean Sydserff
designated title: no information
Accused Reference: A/EGD/301
Case date start: 8/2/1659
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)
demonic (primary characteristic)
Implicated by another (secondary characteristic)

Characterisation Notes: None

additional persons
name	involvement	notes
Thomas Simmell	Investigator
Robert Home	Investigator
William Manderson	Investigator
Robert Wait	Investigator
Patrick Nisbet	Investigator
Hugh Hay	Investigator
Rayatons Pringle	Investigator

linked trials
name	trial type	link	year	notes
Jean Sydserff	Mixed Central/Local Court	T/LA/1622	1659
Jean Sydserff	Mentioned in trial	T/LA/1623	None

Qualitative information

Non-natural beings

Notes: Devil went to her at her bedside.

no information

Demonic pacts

Anti-baptism
New name Jonet

witches meetings

Witches meeting
Devil present

Notes: People met in Mr. Robert's Close to drink ale in the evening (don't think this is meant to be a witches' meeting?). After Lacost was arrested they all met in William Henderson's barn in Stenton and a man with grey clothes told them to deny everything. Dispute about lint with the minister's wife and the Devil was asked for amends.

Meeting places

no information

musical instruments

no information

Folk culture

Notes: None

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

Quarreling
Healing humans

Notes: Dispute about lint with the minister's wife. Denied everything except that the wife took lint from her.

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
Process Notes JC26/26	Bundle near the end marked 'Witchcraft' From a court held by the JPs. There was no mention of a commission. Also found in the High Court Record Index, no. 1 for 1/3/1659, this index did not distinguish between circuit and high court cases. This list of names was added in the margins with a modern hand, no indication of where the person got the list.