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/3044 Elspeth Culsetter

name of accused
Elspeth Culsetter (alias Cursetter)
designated title
no information
Accused Reference
A/JO/2907
Case date start
29/5/1629
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)
  • not enough information (secondary characteristic)
  • not enough information (primary characteristic)
  • white magic (secondary 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

  • Elphane or Fairyland
  • Specific Verbal Formulae
  • Specific ritual acts
  • Unorthodox religious practice
Notes
Accused of having spoken a curse, which then caused a man's horse to fall, break its bones and later die. Also claimed to know how to keep a man's health. Take a cog of water, put three straws in it and put it on the back of a sick cow. Then take some water and put it in the cow's mouth, then put an arm down the cow's throat, which will cure a cow. Also accused of throwing water three times for an evil purpose. Was able to locate lost/stolen money. Claimed that she predicted an outbreak of smallpox.

Counter strategies

  • no information

white magic

  • Finding lost goods
  • Prophesy

Elf/fairy elements

  • Elfshot

Shape-changing

  • no information

Ritual objects

  • Water
  • Straw

Religious motif

  • Three

Calendar customs

  • no information

Diseases or illness

  • Animal death
  • Healing humans
  • Healing animals
Notes
To preserve health carry the bones of a linnet in clothing as a form of talisman.

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
Orkney Presbytery Records CH2/1082/1. P 204-5, 289-90. See also J G Dalyell, The Darker Superstitions of Scotland, Edinburgh 1834, pp. 33, 34-150, 564.
Marwick Collection D31/4/3. Marwick collection in Orkney Archives also notes there was/is information in Records of Orkney Sheriff Court but the primary source has not been located.