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/411 Margaret Allan

name of accused
Margaret Allan
designated title
no information
Accused Reference
A/EGD/400
Case date start
15/8/1661
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)
  • maleficium (secondary characteristic)
  • neighbourhood dispute (secondary characteristic)
  • not enough information (secondary characteristic)
  • not enough information (primary characteristic)
Characterisation Notes
None

Qualitative information

Non-natural beings

Notes
Devil gave her a kiss. A servant saw a black man go into Margaret's room and he moved around like he had oxen feet.
  • Male black clothes and a bonnet

Demonic pacts

  • Anti-baptism
  • Servant
  • Want nothing
  • Head and foot
  • New name Jenni
  • Devil's Mark shoulder
  • Devil's Mark thigh

witches meetings

  • Witches meeting
  • Devil present
  • Dancing
Notes
Haddington was written first and then crossed out and replaced with Hodin dean two words.

Meeting places

  • hodin dean Den

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

  • Human illness
  • Human death
  • Animal illness
  • Animal death
  • Quarreling
  • Cursing
Notes
She was described as being 'like dead' when her victims suffered a trembling and sweating ailment.

Cause of witch's malice

  • no information

Other maleficia

  • Property damage

    • Damage to property

    • Animals
    • Whole Estate

    weather modification

    • no information

    Notes
    None

    Other charges

    • 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
    Strange one: the prosecutor was a local laird, who dropped the prosecution in exchange for banishment.
    references
    name notes
    Books of Adjournal JC2/11; JC2/10 fos. 50v-51r JC 2/11 and JC2/10 have the same text. 14/11/1661
    Books of Adjournal JC2/11, JC2/10 fo. 29v (same as JC26/27/5 item 1) trial date set for 10/9/1661 (but it wasn't kept, happened later)
    High Court Process Notes JC26/17/2 item 3 draft notes of her charges being dropped.
    High Court Process Notes JC26/27 Gilmerton witches item 3 pre-trial note
    High Court Process Notes JC26/27 'Margaret Allan' None
    Books of Adjournal JC2/10 fo. 27r not in JC2/11, order for trial on 27/8/1661, but the trial didn't happen