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

Trial Details

T/JO/592 Isobel Adam

Name of the accused
Isobel Adam
Associated case
C/EGD/2444 (6/4/1709)
Trial process type
Mixed Central/Local Court

Pre-trial actions

commissions
commission body type date seal notes
no recorded commission
previous commissions
commission body date
no recorded prior commission
appeals
central authority reason appeal date
tormenting of a boy 13/6/1704
complaints
type date of complaint lodged at appeal date complainent involvement
no recorded complaints
move to higher legal authority
moved to date of move
no recorded move to higher legal authority
denunciations
denuncation date dated
no recorded denunciations
imprisonments
incarceration date central trial imprison prison location moving
6/1704 no None Pittenweem no
tortures
date of torture torture type
no recorded tortures
ordeals
date of ordeal ordeal type
no recorded ordeals
confessions
central trial confession date location notes
no 6/1704 Pittenweem None
no 28/6/1704 Pittenweem None

other information

Pre-trial notes
Note in Edinburgh presbytery (1708) implied that she had been released or escaped. Letter to presbytery from Patrick Couper (minister, Pittenweem) reported she had confessed but then retracted.
watched?
no
watch date
no information
arrested?
yes
arrest date
no information
fled?
no
date absconded
no information
action dropped?
no
action dropped date
no information
action dropped by
no information
trial action body
no information
confronting suspects?
no

Trial phase

trial date
no information
trial place
no information

place of trial

settlement
no information
parish
no information
presbytery
no information
county
no information
burgh
no information

verdict

verdict
no information
defence
no
female accusers
0
male accusers
0
recorded as high status?
no
order for central judiciary trial
no
judiciary trial date
no information
circuit court (mixed central and local)
no
circuit name
no information
local court with central representatives
yes
trial notes
She was tried in the locality (I think) by the Lord Advocate!
persons associated with the trial
name title office occupation involvement witchpricker? notes
James Stewart Sir Lord Advocate advocate Prosecutor no Involved in trials in 1696-7 and 1709.

Post-trial phase

sentence
no information
executed?
no
execution date
no information
execution place
no information
execution method
no information
post trial notes
No details but as she turned up in Edinburgh in 1708 it would seem she escaped capital punishment.
other named witches
name trial link accused link
Janet Cornfoot T/JO/1701 A/EGD/2371
Betty (Beatrix) Laing T/JO/1703 A/EGD/820
Thomas Broun T/JO/1700 A/EGD/2376
Nicolas Lauson T/JO/1702 A/EGD/819

Mentioned as a witch

mentioned as a witch
type name mention date fate linked trialdate trial link notes
no mentions