Survey of Scottish Witchcraft, 1563 - 1736

Goodare, Julian; Yeoman, Louise; Martin, Lauren; Miller, Joyce

Case Details

C/LA/2973 Angus Forrester

name of accused: Angus Forrester (alias Drudge)
designated title: no information
Accused Reference: A/LA/2839
Case date start: 19/3/1697
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

demonic (secondary characteristic)
demonic possesion (secondary characteristic)
demonic possessions (primary characteristic)
maleficium (secondary characteristic)
Implicated by another (secondary characteristic)

Characterisation Notes: Complicated case involving numerous accusations of murdering children through magical strangulation and possession of several children. Much of the evidence was derived from the testimony of children who claimed to be possessed and tormented by witches. But there was great concern over the murdered children and a murdered minister. The record describes the physical torment of the possessed children in great detail. An extraordinary document!

additional persons
name	involvement	notes
John Maxwell	Commissioner
William Muir	Commissioner
John Stewart	Commissioner
John Alexander	Commissioner
Robert Sempill	Commissioner
Francis Montgomery	Commissioner
John Houston	Commissioner
John Shaw	Commissioner
John Kincaid	Commissioner
Alexander Stewart	Commissioner
James Brisbane	Investigator
None Ritchie	Investigator
Andrew Turner	Investigator

linked trials
name	trial type	link	year	notes
Angus Forrester	Mixed Central/Local Court	T/LA/1215	1697

Qualitative information

Non-natural beings

Notes: None

Male black shawl and hood
Male black mane, black coat, blue cravat
Female Antiochia, gentle wife of the devil

Demonic pacts

Devil's Mark left shoulder

witches meetings

Witches meeting
Devil present
Dancing

Notes: see Agnes Naismith for details (c/egd/1773)

Meeting places

kilpatrick
kilmacolme Moor
Christian Shaw's Yard
murdered minister, Mr. John Hardie Yard
murdered boy House

musical instruments

Pipe

Folk culture

Elphane or Fairyland
Specific ritual acts
Sympathetic magic

Notes: allegedly part of a group that used image magic to kill people including children.

Counter strategies

no information

white magic

no information

Elf/fairy elements

12:00

Shape-changing

no information

Ritual objects

Bone
Hair
Blood (animal)
Wax/clay images

Religious motif

no information

Calendar customs

no information

Diseases or illness

Human illness
Human death

Notes: None

Cause of witch's malice

no information

Other maleficia

Damage to property

no information

weather modification

no information

Notes: None

Other charges

Murder

Notes: None

Plea

Claimed bewitched: no
Claimed possessed: no
Admitted lesser charges: no
No defence: no
Claimed natural causes: no
Notes: None
Case Notes: Part of the Renfrewshire cases of 1697.

references
name	notes
Circuit Court Books JC10/4 fos. 1r-81r second pagination	None
Privy Council PC1/51 p. 136-9	None