The Survey of Scottish Witchcraft

1563-1736

By Julian Goodare, Lauren Martin, Joyce Miller and Louise Yeoman, January 2003

The Survey of Scottish Witchcraft logo

Case Details

C/EGD/794 Agnes Clark

name of accused
Agnes Clark
designated title
no information
Accused Reference
A/EGD/783
Case date start
4/4/1659
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)
  • maleficium (secondary characteristic)
  • Implicated by another (secondary characteristic)
  • neighbourhood dispute (secondary characteristic)
  • neighbourhood dispute (primary characteristic)
Characterisation Notes
The circuit record is just people ratifying their witness depositions. Very little information about what the charges actually were. The dittay roll has more detail, enough to assign a primary of Neighbourhood dispute. Plenty of good detail.
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

  • Unorthodox religious practice
Notes
Appeasement offered to her of milk and bread. This means that people were trying to make up with her so that she would no longer feel malice towards them and would desist in magically harming them.

Counter strategies

  • Appeasement
  • Prayer

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
  • Human death
  • Animal death
  • Laying on
  • Quarreling
  • Cursing
Notes
Cursing for God's malediction on her knees. Quarrels over kale, stolen faggot, social insults, and purchases of wool and flesh.

Cause of witch's malice

  • no information

Other maleficia

  • Property damage

    • 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. 263v-264r, 264v, 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.
    Process Notes JC26/26 Dumfries dittays 1659 (Biggest dittay roll) None
    Process Notes JC26/26 Dumfries Bundle witness depositions.