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/3107 James Og

name of accused
James Og
designated title
no information
Accused Reference
A/JO/2967
Case date start
4/1597
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)
  • not enough information (secondary characteristic)
  • not enough information (primary characteristic)
Characterisation Notes
Although accused of variety of rituals, which caused harm to others but from which he benefited, but charges were not sufficient to advance to trial.
additional persons
name involvement notes
John Ross Investigator

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 ritual acts
  • Unorthodox religious practice
  • Sympathetic magic
Notes
Accused of using rituals involving taking nine handfuls of earth from one man's rig and throwing on to his own. Accused of going withershins about a kiln in which he was drying corn. Said to have thrown water on the threshhold of a neighbour's house causing his servant to flee.

Counter strategies

  • no information

white magic

  • no information

Elf/fairy elements

  • no information

Shape-changing

  • no information

Ritual objects

  • Stones
  • Water

Religious motif

  • Nine

Calendar customs

  • Ruidday

Diseases or illness

  • Animal illness
  • Animal death
Notes
None

Cause of witch's malice

  • no information

Other maleficia

  • Property damage

    • Damage to property

    • Dairy
    • Crops

    weather modification

    • no information

    Notes
    Accused of taking the milk from another woman's cow. Accused of measuring (metting) another man's crops with a white wand and stiking them 9 times so that nothing would grow.

    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
    Spalding Club Miscellany Vol I, p 190-2. Notes recorded by John Ross, minister at Lumphanan.