Survey of Scottish Witchcraft, 1563 - 1736

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

Case Details

C/EGD/364 Bessie Moffat

name of accused: Bessie Moffat
designated title: no information
Accused Reference: A/EGD/353
Case date start: 11/7/1661
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)
Implicated by another (secondary characteristic)
not enough information (secondary characteristic)
not enough information (primary characteristic)

Characterisation Notes: She was delated by Janet Watsone

additional persons
name	involvement	notes
William Murray	Commissioner
John Preston	Commissioner
John Biggar	Commissioner
Patrick Scott	Commissioner
Charles Murray	Commissioner
William Meggat	Commissioner
William Scott	Commissioner
James Calderwood	Confession Witness
William Calderwood	Confession Witness
William Scott	Confession Witness
John Sheil	Confession Witness
James Hogg	Confession Witness
Thomas Harris	Confession Witness
John Kincaid	Witch-pricker

linked trials
name	trial type	link	year	notes
Bessie Moffat	Mentioned in trial	T/LA/295	None
Bessie Moffat	Mixed Central/Local Court	T/LA/411	1661

Qualitative information

Non-natural beings

Notes: Met the devil after discord with her husband. She knew it was the Devil because he vanished more quickly than a normal man.

Male young man

Demonic pacts

Want nothing
Servant
sex
Devil's Mark shoulder blade
Devil's Mark right arm
Devil's Mark craige (throat)
New name Bessie the Spounger

witches meetings

Witches meeting
Devil present

Notes: meeting happened on 'beal fire night' (Beltane)

Meeting places

Newtown Deinhead Dam

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

Beltane

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
Books of Adjournal JC2/11; JC2/10 fo. 10v-17v	JC 26/27/1 mentioned
RPC 3rd series, vol 1, p 46.	None
High Court Process Notes JC26/27/9 item 1	mentioned in a confession
High Court Process Notes JC26/27/9 item 5	None
High Court Process Notes JC26/27/9 item 8	investigation minutes
High Court Process Notes JC26/27/9 item 11	None