Trial Details
T/LA/1121 Elspeth Cuninghame
- Name of the accused
- Elspeth Cuninghame
- Associated case
- C/EGD/273 (30/3/1659)
- Trial process type
- Mixed Central/Local Court
| associated trials | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| trial reference | accused | trial type | trial year | trial place |
| no recorded trials | ||||
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 |
| 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 |
| no recorded imprisonments | ||||
| tortures | |
|---|---|
| date of torture | torture type |
| no recorded tortures | |
| ordeals | |
|---|---|
| date of ordeal | ordeal type |
| None | Pricking |
| confessions | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| central trial confession | date | location | notes |
| no recorded confessions | |||
other information
- Pre-trial notes
- She was orginally arrested in 1651. Also, it seems that a former provost and two former bailies tried to exonerate her and the three other arrested with her (7/10/1651). There is some evidence of a commission being granted that was not acted upon (from 13/7/1652).
- 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
- 30/3/1659
- trial place
- Tolbooth
place of trial
- settlement
- no information
- parish
- no information
- presbytery
- no information
- county
- Ayr
- burgh
- Ayr
verdict
- verdict
- Guilty
- defence
- no
- female accusers
- 13
- male accusers
- 12
- recorded as high status?
- no
- order for central judiciary trial
- no
- judiciary trial date
- no information
- circuit court (mixed central and local)
- yes
- circuit name
- local court with central representatives
- no
- trial notes
- Two porteous rolls (one of which dated 31/3/1658 summoned the whole 1658 group to appear for trial). Mentioned on 6/4/1658 that the Justice of the Peace was to investigate and report back at the next court. Her trial happened on 29-30/3/1659 a year later. Both of her appearances in front of the circuit court were in the tolbooth of Ayr. There is also a dittay with a list of witnesses and another one from 6/4/1658 with details (21 male and 13 female witnesses).
| persons associated with the trial | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| name | title | office | occupation | involvement | witchpricker? | notes |
| no recorded additional persons | ||||||
Post-trial phase
- sentence
- Execution
- executed?
- yes
- execution date
- no information
- execution place
- no information
- execution method
- Strangle & Burn
- post trial notes
- She was ordered to be executed between 2-4 p.m.
| other named witches | ||
|---|---|---|
| name | trial link | accused link |
| no recorded named witches | ||
Mentioned as a witch
| mentioned as a witch | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| type | name | mention date | fate | linked trialdate | trial link | notes |
| no mentions | ||||||