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/822 Elspeth Chousley

name of accused
Elspeth Chousley
designated title
no information
Accused Reference
A/EGD/811
Case date start
7/1677
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

  • not enough information (secondary characteristic)
  • not enough information (primary characteristic)
Characterisation Notes
None

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

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
Her community attempted to extrajudicially arrest and investigate her for witchcraft. Her tormentors were charged with Hamsucken, robery, wrong imprisonment, and hurting subjects. In June of July 1677 a group of people broke into her house, took things and broke things. They kept her in prison and hired a pricker. They also tortured three other witches and pressured them to denounce her. She paid to get out of prison and was released. Then in June or July of 1678 the group assaulted her again - they broke her doors and windows and went at her with swords and pistols. The baillie was drunk when this happened. Five people testified to these events.
references
name notes
Circuit Court Books JC10/3 fo. 25r., 27r., 44r. first reference is to three men being arrested for falsely proceeding against her in 1678. Third reference says the diet was deserted.
Process Notes JC26/50 more details