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/39 Katherene Ross

name of accused
Katherene Ross (alias Lady Fowlis)
designated title
Lady
Accused Reference
A/EGD/28
Case date start
25/10/1577
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

  • consulting (secondary characteristic)
  • maleficium (secondary characteristic)
  • political motive (secondary characteristic)
  • property motive (secondary characteristic)
  • property motives (primary characteristic)
Characterisation Notes
Her stepsonHector wanted her terce. She was accused of wanting to dispose of heirs. She was accused of using poisoned drinks. And of sending a servant to the Egyptians for poison.

Qualitative information

Non-natural beings

Notes
None
  • no information

Demonic pacts

  • no information

witches meetings

Notes
None

Meeting places

  • no information

musical instruments

  • no information

Folk culture

  • Elphane or Fairyland
  • Specific ritual acts
  • Sympathetic magic
Notes
Accused of sending a man to the Egyptians for poison. Made a picture of her victim out of butter.

Counter strategies

  • no information

white magic

  • no information

Elf/fairy elements

  • Elfshot

Shape-changing

  • no information

Ritual objects

  • Elfshot
  • Wax/clay images

Religious motif

  • no information

Calendar customs

  • Halloween
  • Easter

Diseases or illness

  • Human death
  • Poisoning
Notes
Accused of killing two heirs. Accused of repeatedly trying to kill rival members of her family especially with poison, wax images, etc.

Cause of witch's malice

  • no information

Other maleficia

Damage to property

  • no information

weather modification

  • no information

Notes
None

Other charges

  • Murder
  • Incantation
  • Poisoning
  • Sorcery
Notes
None

Plea

Claimed bewitched
no
Claimed possessed
no
Admitted lesser charges
no
No defence
no
Claimed natural causes
no
Notes
None
Case Notes
Hector wanted her terce. A good description of family connections, etc. in Pitcairn, vol 1, part ii, page 191. She fled to Caithness when all her accomplices were tried and convicted.
references
name notes
RPC v4 p. 392-393 None
Exchequer Rolls Vol XX, p 522. Reference supplied by Alexander Sutherland, Aberdeen University.
RPC v4, p. 404-5; 431; 433-4 Cautions for Hector Munro of Fowlis - moving her to tolbooth in Edinburgh, and paying her upkeep; caution against Mr. Hector Munro that he won't harm her or her servants; Munro wanted the previous caution dropped because he can't pay her maintenance without recourse to her rents.
Books of Adjournal JC2/2 f. 153 Also in the High Court Record Index, no. 1 on 22/7/1590.
Pitcairn v I, part ii, page 185 None
Books of Adjournal JC2/2 fos. 169v-175r None
Pitcairn v I, part ii, page 191-201 same text as JC2/2
High Court Minute Books JC6/3 no pagination - 23/6/1590, and 22/7/1590 - similar narration of events to other documents, difficult to read! Her case in the minute books is roughly 7 folios long.