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/695 Margaret Sonnes

name of accused
Margaret Sonnes
designated title
no information
Accused Reference
A/EGD/684
Case date start
24/7/1678
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)
  • Implicated by another (secondary characteristic)
  • not enough information (secondary characteristic)
  • not enough information (primary characteristic)
Characterisation Notes
It is all from her confession, no indication of why she was accused.

Qualitative information

Non-natural beings

Notes
She confessed that she wasn't fast enough in renouncing her baptism and that the Devil dragged her by her coat and broke the band. She said she was the Devil's 'slave', he struck her and abused her, she tried many times to confess her sins to a minister, but the Devil wouldn't let her.
  • no information

Demonic pacts

  • Anti-baptism
  • Head and foot

witches meetings

  • Witches meeting
  • Devil present
Notes
None

Meeting places

  • Lin Dean Dam
  • whitehouse House

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

  • 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
Books of Adjournal JC2/15 ff. 20v-22v None
Books of Adjournal JC2/15 f. 24v None
Process Notes JC26/49 'peaston witches' item 2 mentioned
Witchcraft Papers JC40/10 trial verdict