The Survey of Scottish Witchcraft

1563-1736

By Julian Goodare, Lauren Martin, Joyce Miller and Louise Yeoman, January 2003

The Survey of Scottish Witchcraft logo

Case Details

C/LA/2967 Thomas Govan

name of accused
Thomas Govan
designated title
no information
Accused Reference
A/LA/2833
Case date start
no information
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
Arrested with the Renfrewshire witches but not indicted or tried with them. Nothing known about accusations against him or his case.
additional persons
name involvement notes
no additional persons recorded

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
He was arrested during the time of the Renfrewshire caess of 1697 but he was not indicted or tried with them. There were no known accusations that he was involved with the cases. There were 'pregnant' presumptions that he was a witch that were not detailed in the record.
references
name notes
Circuit Court Books JC10/4 fos. 1r-81r second pagination None