The Survey of Scottish Witchcraft

1563-1736

By Julian Goodare, Lauren Martin, Joyce Miller and Louise Yeoman, January 2003

The Survey of Scottish Witchcraft logo

Case Details

C/EGD/381 Issobell Fergussone

name of accused
Issobell Fergussone
designated title
no information
Accused Reference
A/EGD/370
Case date start
3/7/1661
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)
  • demonic (primary characteristic)
  • maleficium (secondary characteristic)
  • midwifery (secondary characteristic)
Characterisation Notes
I think that under questioning, etc. she retold an fornication or adultery episode as a meeting with the Devil. The accusations made to the KS include verbal threats against her neighbours and her own son.

Qualitative information

Non-natural beings

Notes
William Twedie, the Devil, gave her a pair of black gloves. She denied that Devil laid with her. There were two William Tweedies, her landlord and his evil half brother. Some confusion, she confessed to having an affair with the half brother who fled to 'Irland' this person was always present when the met the Devil and the Devil didn't appear after he had left. I he morphed into the Devil for her.
  • Male a man named William Twedie
  • Male black man
  • Male little black man
  • Fairy in a black gown
  • Animal Devil rat

Demonic pacts

  • Anti-baptism
  • Devil's Mark
  • New name
  • sex
  • Servant

witches meetings

  • Witches meeting
  • Devil present
  • Dancing
Notes
None

Meeting places

  • near the bridge at the bank of John Ballingtyne's Shore
  • at her farm Yard
  • between Skloutford and nether Liberton Road
  • either her's or William Tweedie's House

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

  • Whitsunday

Diseases or illness

  • Animal illness
  • Quarreling
  • Cursing
Notes
Seems to have threatened her neighbours. Told them they would be poor, their horse took ill and they were reduced to poverty. Also angry about her son and told his wife he would have a bad homecoming. On his return he took ill and died.

Cause of witch's malice

  • Grudge

Other maleficia

  • Property damage

    • Damage to property

    • Animals

    weather modification

    • no information

    Notes
    None

    Other charges

    • Fornication
    • Adultery
    Notes
    None

    Plea

    Claimed bewitched
    no
    Claimed possessed
    no
    Admitted lesser charges
    no
    No defence
    no
    Claimed natural causes
    no
    Notes
    None
    Case Notes
    She may have gotten caught up in the witch panic because she was already a accused of fornication and adultery. The Devil as william twedie could likely be a re-telling of an adulterous affair. Also, she used to live in Liberton Parish, so that maybe the connection between the Dalkeith and Liberton witches? Fergusson denounced a few Dalkeith people, that may have started the chain?
    references
    name notes
    Books of Adjournal JC2/11; JC2/10 fo. 10v-17v JC2/11 and JC2/10 were exactly the same text! Except the sederunt in JC2/10 doesn't say that the trial happened in Dalkeith. Also found in the High Court Record Index, no. 1 for 3/8/1661, 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.
    Newbattle Kirk Session records CH2/276/4, pp 48-50. Investigation of some complaints about IF.
    High Court Process Notes JC26/27/9 item 4 and item 5 draft of JC2 trial item 5 is a continuation of item 4
    High Court Process Notes JC26/27/9 item 17 None
    High Court Process Notes JC26/27/9 item 18 lots of information!
    High Court Process Notes JC26/27/9 item 20 witnesses, bad handwriting, mostly repeat of information in other documents. Seems to be a draft of the Books of Adjournal text.