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/592 John Scott

name of accused
John Scott
designated title
no information
Accused Reference
A/EGD/581
Case date start
24/7/1671
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)
  • not enough information (secondary characteristic)
  • not enough information (primary characteristic)
Characterisation Notes
None

Qualitative information

Non-natural beings

Notes
None
  • no information

Demonic pacts

  • Anti-baptism
  • Body and soul

witches meetings

Notes
He claimed he could not play the pipes and couldn't have been at a meeting because he has witnesses to say he was drinking ale with a group of people. Nor did he have a staff, some mention of a brass tobacco pipe. I assume he was answering charges of being at a witches' meeting and playing the pipes, but we don't have the actual accusations, only his statement.

Meeting places

  • no information

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

Notes
None

Cause of witch's malice

  • no information

Other maleficia

Damage to property

  • no information

weather modification

  • no information

Notes
None

Other charges

  • Sorcery
  • Necromancy
Notes
None

Plea

Claimed bewitched
no
Claimed possessed
no
Admitted lesser charges
no
No defence
no
Claimed natural causes
no
Notes
None
Case Notes
His diet was deserted. The edinburgh porteous roll of delinquent dittays from 8/9/1679 all have the standard tag line of accusations: witchcraft, sorcery and necromancy; and renunciation of baptism and giving themselves over to the Devil, body and soul.
references
name notes
High Court Process Notes JC2/13 f. 81r None
Circuit Court Books JC10/3 fo. 22r., 45r. diet was deserted
Process Notes JC26/50 None
Process Notes JC26/51 None
Process Notes JC26/38 petition to be released from prison.