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/JO/2632 Margaret Dicksone

name of accused
Margaret Dicksone
designated title
no information
Accused Reference
A/JO/2536
Case date start
19/4/1643
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

  • folk healing (secondary characteristic)
  • folk healing (primary characteristic)
  • maleficium (secondary characteristic)
  • neighbourhood dispute (secondary characteristic)
Characterisation Notes
Folk healing as primary as details all indicate that accused was a healer or charmer. The church minutes record her accusation as witchcraft but there are no mentions of demonic pact or other features.

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

  • Elphane or Fairyland
  • Specific Verbal Formulae
  • Specific ritual acts
  • Sympathetic magic
Notes
Used eggs and meal to cure a changeling child. In another incident used fire also to identify changeling who was 'ane hundred years old'.

Counter strategies

  • no information

white magic

  • no information

Elf/fairy elements

  • Changeling

Shape-changing

  • no information

Ritual objects

  • Yarn
  • Egg
  • Meal
  • Shirt
  • Water

Religious motif

  • no information

Calendar customs

  • no information

Diseases or illness

  • Human illness
  • Animal illness
  • Animal death
  • Quarreling
  • Cursing
  • Healing humans
Notes
accused of having said verbal curse against victim after he was angry about her daughter taking some of his wood. She also confessed to having received sixpence from Issobell Johnstone, one of the witnesses, in payment for her advice.

Cause of witch's malice

  • no information

Other maleficia

  • Property damage

    • Damage to property

    • Animals

    weather modification

    • no information

    Notes
    None

    Other charges

    • Charming
    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
    Haddington Presbytery records CH2/185/5 There is a later note about a Margaret Dickson from Feb 1648. It is not clear if this is the same one but the minutes record that this Dickson, from Surro?, has made repentence for her misdemeanour but still has more to do.