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/3235

name of accused
designated title
no information
Accused Reference
no accused reference present
Case date start
19/1/1697
Given case date
no information
Case commission
for investigations at Renfrewshire
case complaint
no information
case correspondence
no information
case chronicle
no information
other details
no information

characterisation

  • demonic possesion (secondary characteristic)
  • demonic possessions (primary characteristic)
Characterisation Notes
None
linked trials
name trial type link year notes
no recorded linked trials

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
The Privy Council granted a commission of investigation to look into the witchcraft accusations made by Cristian Shaw. The commission allows for investigation, witness depositions, and giving caution to stand trial. But they needed permission to arrest suspects. They were to report back to the Privy Council by 10 March. That was done on 19/1/1697. Then the Privy Council issued a commission to try 24 named people in Renfrewshire (their records are updated with this info.), the Privy Counicl agreed to appoint 'such a somme as they shall think fitt' for imprisoning and trying the Refrewshire witches. That was from 9 March 1697. This commission gives concrete instructions as to how the commissioners were required to set up court and run the trial. The the Privy Council agreed to let the commissioners hold courts at Paisley, Glasgow or anywhere else in Renfrewshire this was on 5 April 1697. By 4 October 1698 the sheriff depute wrote a letter to the Privy Council requesting further funds for the maintanence of people in prison or a commission to try them. The Privy Council agreed to pass the matter over to the Lord advocate and to reimburse who ever maintained the suspects. On 12 January 1699 the Privy Council authorised the Sheriff depute to maintain each prison with not more than one groat each per day to be reimbursed by the treasury.
references
name notes
Privy Council PC1/51 p. 93, 136-9, 139-40, 476, 519 A long a detailed correspondence between people in Renfrewshire and the Privy Council regarding witches.