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/45 Christiane Roiss

name of accused
Christiane Roiss (alias Malcomson)
designated title
no information
Accused Reference
A/EGD/34
Case date start
28/11/1577
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)
  • not enough information (secondary characteristic)
  • not enough information (primary characteristic)
Characterisation Notes
She was consulted by Katherine Ross, Lady Fowlis to destroy heirs. She seems to have been Lady Fowlis' right-hand woman. She was part of a large group of known witches and assistants to Lady Fowlis' supposed plot to destroy members of her family. This is a very standard type of early case where witchcraft was used to alter inheritance of land, titles, and property.

Qualitative information

Non-natural beings

Notes
None
  • no information

Demonic pacts

  • no information

witches meetings

  • Witches meeting
Notes
None

Meeting places

  • no information

musical instruments

  • no information

Folk culture

  • Elphane or Fairyland
  • Specific ritual acts
  • Sympathetic magic
Notes
None

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

Diseases or illness

  • Human death
  • Poisoning
Notes
Poisoned ale.

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
Pitcairn v I, part II, page 192-199 None
Books of Adjournal JC2/2 fo. 169v-175r None
High Court Minute Books JC6/3 no pagination - date 22/7/1590