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/737 Margaret Alexander

name of accused
Margaret Alexander
designated title
no information
Accused Reference
A/EGD/726
Case date start
19/4/1699
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 possesion (secondary characteristic)
  • maleficium (secondary characteristic)
  • neighbourhood dispute (secondary characteristic)
  • refused charity (secondary characteristic)
  • refused charities (primary characteristic)
Characterisation Notes
She seems to have been a troublesome woman, asking for charity and doing lots of cursing and offensive gestures. Lots of muttering after refused charity. She begging at people's homes and at an Abbey in Paisley. Accused of causing an undescribed tormenting.
additional persons
name involvement notes
no additional persons recorded

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

  • Shape changing
Notes
She was offered a dollar for appeasement. Lots of muttering and curses.

Counter strategies

  • Appeasement

white magic

  • no information

Elf/fairy elements

  • no information

Shape-changing

  • Apparition in someone's bed
  • In Dream curses in a dream

Ritual objects

  • no information

Religious motif

  • no information

Calendar customs

  • Candlemas

Diseases or illness

  • Human illness
  • Quarreling
  • Cursing
  • Healing humans
Notes
mostly curses and illnesses. She cursed someone at a like-wake. She stuck her tongue out after making curses.

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
Denounced by Margaret Laird in Paisley, and Margaret Murdoch in Govan. Both girls claimed to be tormented by witches. Laird and Murdoch denounced many people while in fits. Most of the witness testimony was given in Paisley (19-21 April 1699, from Laird) and Glasgow (22 April 1699 from Murdoch). Testimony came from people who witnessed Laird's fits and denunciations among other things.
references
name notes
Books of Adjournal JC3/1 f. 89 None
Process Notes JC26/81 f. 9 dittay dated 21/4/1699
Circuit Court Books JC10/4 part 3 None