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/584 Geilles Burnett

name of accused
Geilles Burnett
designated title
no information
Accused Reference
A/EGD/573
Case date start
no information
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)
  • consulting (primary characteristic)
  • demonic (secondary characteristic)
  • maleficium (secondary characteristic)
  • Implicated by another (secondary characteristic)
Characterisation Notes
She was delated by two other known witches as having consulted them for the murdering of her husbands. She supposedly received help with her charms for killer her husbands.
additional persons
name involvement notes
no additional persons recorded

Qualitative information

Non-natural beings

Notes
None
  • no information

Demonic pacts

  • Anti-baptism
  • Paction

witches meetings

Notes
None

Meeting places

  • no information

musical instruments

  • no information

Folk culture

Notes
On both accused killings she placed something under her then husband's bed. For her first husband it was an piece of enchanted raw flesh. For the second it was enchanted powder - the powder supposedly caused him to have problems in is 'privy parts' with burning.

Counter strategies

  • no information

white magic

  • no information

Elf/fairy elements

  • no information

Shape-changing

  • no information

Ritual objects

  • Flesh
  • Powder

Religious motif

  • no information

Calendar customs

  • no information

Diseases or illness

  • Human death
  • Male impotence
Notes
She was accused of bewitching her two husbands to death. Accused of damaging a man's private parts with a powder.

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
Circuit Court Books JC10/2 fo. 15v-18r None
Process Notes JC26/40 first bundle None
Process Notes JC26/38 Aberdeen Roll None