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/47 William McGillievray

name of accused
William McGillievray
designated title
no information
Accused Reference
A/EGD/36
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)
  • other (secondary characteristic)
  • not enough information (secondary characteristic)
  • not enough information (primary characteristic)
  • other text witch for hire
Characterisation Notes
He 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

Notes
None

Meeting places

  • no information

musical instruments

  • no information

Folk culture

Notes
He was sent to the Egyptians to get poison for Lady Ross. He was paid 8 shillings and some cloth.

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

  • Easter

Diseases or illness

  • Human death
  • Poisoning
Notes
Was sent to Egyptians to get poison. He supposedly bought poison in Tain, Ross and Elgin.

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 191-201 Same text as JC2/2
Exchequer Rolls Vol XX, p 522. Reference supplied by Alexander Sutherland, Aberdeen University.
Books of Adjournal JC2/2 fo. 169v-175r See also Chambers, Domestic Annals of Scotland, i, pp.202-206 for more details about this group.