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/409 Janet Cock

name of accused
Janet Cock
designated title
no information
Accused Reference
A/EGD/398
Case date start
11/6/1661
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)
  • folk healing (secondary characteristic)
  • maleficium (secondary characteristic)
  • Implicated by another (secondary characteristic)
  • neighbourhood dispute (secondary characteristic)
  • neighbourhood dispute (primary characteristic)
Characterisation Notes
She was a party to several healing attempts that transferred the disease on to a child and a dog. She was not the main person, but an assistant. In second trial she appears more of a healer, turning up when people were ill (or bewitched by a different witch) and offering a diagnosis and cure. Neighbourhood dispute is the dominant trend. 2 violent altercations between Janet and her accusers are described in the 2nd trial.

Qualitative information

Non-natural beings

Notes
Devil went away from her in whirl of wind.
  • Male ill favoured black man
  • Male Black clothes

Demonic pacts

  • Devil's Mark
  • Servant

witches meetings

  • Witches meeting
  • Devil present
Notes
None

Meeting places

  • Newtoun Deam Dam

musical instruments

  • no information

Folk culture

  • Specific Verbal Formulae
  • Specific ritual acts
  • Shape changing
  • Sympathetic magic
Notes
After a horse fell ill, 'a country man' said that if they put the horses' shoes in a red hot fire and took them out, the bewitcher would appear if it was witchcraft, then Janet Cock showed up without a pretext. When Janet Cock appeared above a new mother and her child, the new mother said 'the spirit of grace be in this house' and the witches and devil disappeared.

Counter strategies

  • Appeasement
  • Counter-magic
  • Prayer

white magic

  • no information

Elf/fairy elements

  • no information

Shape-changing

  • Apparition bedside and bedfoot many times
  • Apparition when people were injured

Ritual objects

  • Thread
  • Oil
  • Egg
  • Garlic
  • Aqua Vitae

Religious motif

  • no information

Calendar customs

  • no information

Diseases or illness

  • Human illness
  • Human death
  • Animal illness
  • Animal death
  • Transferring disease
  • Laying on
  • Quarreling
  • Cursing
  • Rec. healer
  • Healing humans
Notes
Tried to steal a new baby while mother was lying in. Helped another witch transfer a disease from a child to a dog. Left a dish of blood and the dog was found decapitated. Her curses included: 'O! thame that called me a witch' and 'what rakis robin'

Cause of witch's malice

  • Revenge for being called a witch
  • Failed business interaction
  • Taunting
  • Physical insult

Other maleficia

  • Property damage
  • Weather modification

    • Damage to property

    • Animals
    • Whole Estate

    weather modification

    • Whirlwind
    Notes
    In second trial, she was described as a 'skilled woman' in relation to healing and diagnosis of disease. Diagnosed with 'gripping' and prescribed cures. She cured a cold and colic using 'black wool', garlic and aqua vitae, and forbade prayer.

    Other charges

    • Sorcery
    • Charming
    Notes
    None

    Plea

    Claimed bewitched
    no
    Claimed possessed
    no
    Admitted lesser charges
    no
    No defence
    no
    Claimed natural causes
    no
    Notes
    None
    Case Notes
    First trial she was acquitted, second trial convicted. The make up of the assize in first trial was 7 from Edinburgh, 1 from Canongate, 7 from Dalkeith. For the second trial it was 6 from Edinburgh, 1 from Canongate, 8 from Dalkieth - giving the Dalkeithers a swing vote. The first chancellor was from Edinburgh, the second from Dalkeith. Someone wanted her to be found guilty and changed the jury by just one person.
    references
    name notes
    Books of Adjournal JC2/11; JC2/10 fo. 17v order for warding in tolbooth of Edinburgh
    Books of Adjournal JC2/11, JC2/10 fo. 27r; JC2/11, JC2/10 fo. 29v (same as JC26/27/5 item 1) order for trial to take place on 27/8. A second order for her trial to take place on 10/9/ 1661.
    Books of Adjournal JC2/11; JC2/10 fos. 34r-41r First trial she was not guilty. JC2/11 and JC2/10 have the same text. Also found in the High Court Record Index, no. 1 for 27/8/1661
    Books of Adjournal JC2/11; JC2/10 fos. 43v-49r Second trial
    RPC 3rd S, v1 p. 49 None
    High Court Process Notes JC26/27/2 item 1 and item 2 Bundle labelled 'Musselburgh Witches', a partial draft copy of JC2/11; and JC2/10 fos. 43v-49r. The order is wrong, Item 2 (has defence arguments and witness statements for articles 1-4), item 1 (has witness statements for articles 5-11 and assize result). Together they are defence arguments, witness statements, a signed version of the assize result and a signed statement from William Scot, Bailie of Dalkeith about her execution.
    High Court Process Notes JC26/27/9 item 5 Note saying the William Scot is to take her to Edinburgh.
    High Court Process Notes JC26/27 'margaret Hutchison' misfiled list of people to appear at court for her trial.
    High Court Process Notes JC26/27/3 item 1 trial warrant
    High Court Process Notes JC26/27/3 item 2, 3, and 6 list of assize members for both trials. (2 and 6 for trial one, and item 3 for trial two).
    High Court Process Notes JC26/27/3 item 4, 5, 8 list of witnesses for her second trial
    High Court Process Notes JC26/27/3 item 7, 20 Defence witnesses for trial one, and prosecution witnesses for trial one.
    High Court Process Notes JC26/27/3 item 9 Witness testimony trial two (Item 10x is a fragment of a draft of the same thing)
    High Court Process Notes JC26/27/3 item 11 dittay for the second trial
    High Court Process Notes JC26/27/3 item 12, 15 Draft dittay dated 18/7/1661. Item 12 is the draft
    High Court Process Notes JC26/27/3 item 13 witness deposition
    High Court Process Notes JC26/27/3 item 14 Prior complaint, not witchcraft related. Transcript from the kirk session.
    High Court Process Notes JC26/27/3 item 16, and 21 Assize notes, item 16 goes with trial two and item 21 was for trial one.
    High Court Process Notes JC26/27/3 item 17 order for liberty, never acted on.
    High Court Process Notes JC26/27/3 item 18 request for release from prison
    High Court Process Notes JC26/27/3 item 19 Book of Adjournal draft notes for second trial.
    High Court Process Notes JC26/27/9 item 20 text of complaint from daughters
    High Court Process Notes JC26/27/3 items 22 (1-3) draft notes for the Books of Adjournal for her first trial.