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/616 Jon Stewart

Name of the accused
Jon Stewart
Associated case
C/EGD/1748 (20/2/1677)
Trial process type
Mixed Central/Local Court

Pre-trial actions

commissions
commission body type date seal notes
Privy Council Justiciary 18/1/1677 signet None
previous commissions
commission body date
no recorded prior commission
appeals
central authority reason appeal date
no recorded appeals
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
1/1677 no Tolbooth Paisley 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 10/7/1677 Pollok None
no 7/1/1677 Paisley None
no 27/1/1677 None None

other information

Pre-trial notes
Commission for trial issued although suspect already imprisoned. Commission specified no use of torture. Text of commission in JC10/4.
watched?
no
watch date
no information
arrested?
no
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
14/2/1677
trial place
no information

place of trial

settlement
no information
parish
P/ST/1328
presbytery
Paisley
county
Renfrew
burgh
Paisley

verdict

verdict
Guilty
defence
yes
female accusers
0
male accusers
7
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
He had a Privy Council commission for trial, but he was tried in front of what looks like a local trial with central representation. Edinburgh officials were sent out to the trial, and the trial appears in the minute books of the circuit court.
persons associated with the trial
name title office occupation involvement witchpricker? notes
George Ross Lord Ross None None Judge no Involved in trials in 1677.
Robert Alexander of Blackhouse None None Prosecutor no Commissioner in 1662 and involved in cases in 1663 and 1677. Probably related to John Alexander LA/1122.

Post-trial phase

sentence
Execution
executed?
yes
execution date
20/2/1677
execution place
Gallow Green
execution method
Strangle & Burn
post trial notes
due to be executed between 2-4 in the afternoon.
other named witches
name trial link accused link
Bessie Weir T/JO/618 A/EGD/1728
Margret Jackson T/JO/617 A/EGD/1729
Marjory Craig T/JO/619 A/EGD/1727
Annabell Stewart T/JO/615 A/EGD/1730

Mentioned as a witch

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