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/793 Jannet Corsan

name of accused
Jannet Corsan
designated title
no information
Accused Reference
A/EGD/782
Case date start
19/5/1658
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

  • unorthodox religious practise (secondary characteristic)
  • folk healing (secondary characteristic)
  • maleficium (secondary characteristic)
  • Implicated by another (secondary characteristic)
  • neighbourhood dispute (secondary characteristic)
  • neighbourhood dispute (primary characteristic)
Characterisation Notes
The circuit court docs have bad handwriting and is just ratification of witness statements. Found a second record of witness statements that shows that the main things here were disputes, curses and failed healing attempts. One oblique mention of not being paid for healing. The dittay from the Dumfries dittay roll is all quarrels and curses, no healing. Therefore I decided to put Neighbourhood dispute as the primary.

Qualitative information

Non-natural beings

Notes
She was seen with a tall, black, ugly man.
  • no information

Demonic pacts

  • no information

witches meetings

Notes
None

Meeting places

  • no information

musical instruments

  • no information

Folk culture

  • Specific Verbal Formulae
  • Unorthodox religious practice
Notes
Denounced by Jonet Miller when she diagnosed an illness as being caused by Jannet Corsan after a quarrel and curse.

Counter strategies

  • no information

white magic

  • no information

Elf/fairy elements

  • no information

Shape-changing

  • no information

Ritual objects

  • no information

Religious motif

  • Prayer

Calendar customs

  • no information

Diseases or illness

  • Human illness
  • Animal illness
  • Male impotence
  • Removal bewitchment
  • Quarreling
  • Cursing
  • Rec. healer
  • Healing humans
Notes
there was mention that she cured for pay. Quarrel about losing a croft, about refusal of borrowing, inheritance dispute (she wanted a pot and crook), curse with courch removal. Dispute over borrowed cradle.

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 JC10/1 fo. 264v-265r, 267r, 269r None
None None McDowall, W 'History of the burgh of Dumfries' (Edinburgh, 1867), p. 376. The project did not check Larner's reference to this printed secondary source as part of the research.
Circuit Court Papers JC10/5/1 None
Process Notes JC26/26 Dumfries dittays 1659 (Biggest dittay roll) None
Process Notes JC26/26 Dumfries Bundle None