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/739 Jean Woodrow

name of accused
Jean Woodrow
designated title
no information
Accused Reference
A/EGD/728
Case date start
3/1695
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)
  • demonic possesion (secondary characteristic)
  • folk healing (secondary characteristic)
  • maleficium (secondary characteristic)
  • Implicated by another (secondary characteristic)
  • neighbourhood dispute (secondary characteristic)
  • refused charity (secondary characteristic)
  • refused charities (primary characteristic)
Characterisation Notes
She was originally denounced after a problem at the mill. But she was denounced by Margaret Laird one of the possessed girls from the 1699 paisley group. I think she was a trouble maker with a reputation for harmful magic who got swept into a possession prosecution. The main accusation was causing harm after refusal of alms or charity. She supposed denounced quite a few others. Very detailed documents. See Agnes Supp for description of the tormenting/possesion.

Qualitative information

Non-natural beings

Notes
None
  • no information

Demonic pacts

  • Devil's Mark shoulders

witches meetings

Notes
None

Meeting places

  • no information

musical instruments

  • no information

Folk culture

Notes
Used a 'charme' meaning an object to cure someone.

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

  • Animal illness
  • Quarreling
  • Cursing
Notes
turned blood to milk, interfered with butter. Damaged a mill because of refusal of alms.

Cause of witch's malice

  • no information

Other maleficia

  • Property damage

    • Damage to property

    • Dairy
    • Mill

    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, a girl who claimed to be tormented by witches. Laird denounced many people while in fits. Most of the witness testimony was given in Paisley (19-21 April 1699) and it came from people who witnessed Laird's fits and denunciations.
    references
    name notes
    Books of Adjournal JC3/1 f. 89 None
    Circuit Court Books JC10/4 part 3 None
    Process Notes JC26/81 f. 9 Dittay roll for a trial set for Glasgow 19/5/1699 that doesn't seemed to have happened.