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/57 Meg Dow

name of accused
Meg Dow
designated title
no information
Accused Reference
A/EGD/46
Case date start
24/5/1689
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

  • maleficium (secondary characteristic)
  • not enough information (secondary characteristic)
  • not enough information (primary characteristic)
Characterisation Notes
None

Qualitative information

Non-natural beings

Notes
A meikle black man met her on the road between Dalkeith and Edinestoune when she was carrying the sark of a dying child. This was at 12:00am.
  • no information

Demonic pacts

  • no information

witches meetings

Notes
None

Meeting places

  • no information

musical instruments

  • no information

Folk culture

Notes
this one is very badly written, seems to be telling the same story about a bairn in blanket brought into a barn. But I can't make it out. She made a drink out of mugword and Mynt

Counter strategies

  • no information

white magic

  • no information

Elf/fairy elements

  • no information

Shape-changing

  • no information

Ritual objects

  • Herb

Religious motif

  • no information

Calendar customs

  • no information

Diseases or illness

  • Human death
  • Animal illness
Notes
murdering of twa infant bairns, took the milk away from cows.

Cause of witch's malice

  • no information

Other maleficia

Damage to property

  • no information

weather modification

  • no information

Notes
None

Other charges

  • Child murder
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 186 Same text as JC2/2
Books of Adjournal JC2/2 fo. 161v None
Process Notes JC26/2 witchcraft bundle, item 27 None
High Court Record Index No. 1 25/5/1689 None