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/LA/1937 Anna Tait

Name of the accused
Anna Tait
Associated case
C/LA/3277 (6/1/1635)
Trial process type
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
Privy Council Justiciary 30/12/1634 None 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
18/12/1634 no Tolbooth Haddington no
tortures
date of torture torture type
None Stocks
ordeals
date of ordeal ordeal type
no recorded ordeals
confessions
central trial confession date location notes
no None None None

other information

Pre-trial notes
She was first arrested for trying to kill herself. When in prison they asked her why she tried to kill herself. She said she had murdered her first husband and her daughter and turned to the Devil. She confessed it all to the ministers and baillies of Haddington.
watched?
no
watch date
no information
arrested?
yes
arrest date
18/12/1634
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
6/1/1635
trial place
Tolbooth

place of trial

settlement
no information
parish
P/JO/3539
presbytery
Haddington
county
Haddington
burgh
Haddington

verdict

verdict
Guilty
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
no
trial notes
None
persons associated with the trial
name title office occupation involvement witchpricker? notes
John Wilkie None Procurator Fiscal notary Prosecutor no Involved in trial in 1635.
James Neilson None None None Chancellor no Involved in trial in 1635

Post-trial phase

sentence
Execution
executed?
yes
execution date
no information
execution place
no information
execution method
Strangle & Burn
post trial notes
To be executed at the usual place.
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