| 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 | Arrest | 2/2/1630 | None | Order for arrest |
| Privy Council | Arrest | 7/1/1630 | None | None |
| Privy Council | Arrest | 5/2/1630 | None | None |
| Privy Council | Investigation | 23/3/1630 | None | None |
| Privy Council | Investigation | 1/7/1630 | None | Also investigating John Smith and Katharine Wilsone |
| Privy Council | Investigation | 21/12/1630 | None | witnesses ordered to be called |
| Privy Council | Investigation | 25/1/1631 | None | None |
| Privy Council | Investigation | 10/3/1631 | None | Witnesses ordered to compear for the trial, and their lords (landlords) ordered to round them up and pay for them to go. |
| 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 |
| 2/2/1630 | yes | Tolbooth | Edinburgh | no |
| 5/2/1630 | yes | None | Edinburgh | no |
| 7/1/1630 | no | None | None | no |
| 23/5/1630 | yes | Tolbooth | Edinburgh | 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 recorded confessions | |||
other information
- Pre-trial notes
- Documents pertaining to Neill date from 21 Decemember 1630 when witnesses were summond under the signet seal. He was questioned repeatedly from then until just before his execution. JC26 has an interrogatory put to him by the Lord Advocate and his answers. He answered the charges against him on 16 and 18 December 1630. Ordered to be examined by the PC about Lady Manderston. The tolbooth was paid 6schillings and 8 pennies daily for his upkeep by order of PC. King Charles ordered his English subjects to find and arrest him after he fled to England (Register of Royal Letters, v2, p. 423).
- watched?
- no
- watch date
- no information
- arrested?
- yes
- arrest date
- no information
- fled?
- yes
- date absconded
- no information
- action dropped?
- no
- action dropped date
- no information
- action dropped by
- no information
- trial action body
- no information
- confronting suspects?
- yes
Trial phase
- trial date
- 26/3/1631
- trial place
- no information
place of trial
- settlement
- Edinburgh
- parish
- no information
- presbytery
- no information
- county
- no information
- burgh
- no information
verdict
- verdict
- Guilty
- defence
- no
- female accusers
- 9
- male accusers
- 25
- recorded as high status?
- yes
- order for central judiciary trial
- yes
- 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 |
| Thomas Hope | Sir of Craighall | Lord's Advocate | advocate | Prosecutor | no | Involved in cases and trials in 1628-34, 1643 and 1645. |
| Alexander Torrie | None | None | None | Chancellor | no | Involved in trials in 1631 and 1632. |
| Alexander Colville | Mr | Justice Depute | Advocate | Prosecutor | no | Moderator of presbytery. Involved in cases in 1629-62. |
Post-trial phase
- sentence
- Execution
- executed?
- yes
- execution date
- no information
- execution place
- Castle Hill
- execution method
- Strangle & Burn
- post trial notes
- execution was announced on 2/4/1631
| other named witches | ||
|---|---|---|
| name | trial link | accused link |
| Samuelston (Home) | T/LA/97 | A/EGD/1197 |
| John Smith | T/LA/99 | A/EGD/1213 |
| Katherine Wilson | T/LA/98 | A/EGD/1212 |
Mentioned as a witch
| mentioned as a witch | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| type | name | mention date | fate | linked trialdate | trial link | notes |
| no mentions | ||||||