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/3013 Kathren Ratter

name of accused
Kathren Ratter
designated title
no information
Accused Reference
A/JO/2877
Case date start
9/6/1708
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

  • maleficium (secondary characteristic)
  • neighbourhood dispute (secondary characteristic)
  • refused charity (secondary characteristic)
  • refused charities (primary characteristic)
  • white magic (secondary characteristic)
Characterisation Notes
The family seems to have been unpopular and asking for alms, which were refused.

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

  • Specific Verbal Formulae
Notes
Witnesses claimed she cursed a man saying 'God should swarfin his body and his ground' and later the man's body decayed. Swarf - to faint or swoon. Also told family of sick woman who was having blood let that this would not help her. Woman later died.

Counter strategies

  • no information

white magic

  • Prophesy

Elf/fairy elements

  • no information

Shape-changing

  • no information

Ritual objects

  • no information

Religious motif

  • no information

Calendar customs

  • no information

Diseases or illness

  • Human death
  • Quarreling
  • Cursing
Notes
Accused appears to have argued/cursed her neighbours after disputes. Later sickness/death blamed on her. Refused alms, child of house took ill and died - witnesses claimed he had a 'blue weed' (?fever).

Cause of witch's malice

  • Refusal of alms

Other maleficia

Damage to property

  • no information

weather modification

  • no information

Notes
None

Other charges

  • no information

Notes
Charged with being a 'deluder and abuser of the people'.

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
Shetland Presbytery records CH2/1071/1, p 153-155. None