Trial Details
T/LA/262 David Johnston
- Name of the accused
- David Johnston
- Associated case
- C/EGD/372 (29/7/1661)
- Trial process type
- Mixed Central/Local Court
| associated trials | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| trial reference | accused | trial type | trial year | trial place |
| T/LA/266 | Janet Daill | Mixed Central/Local Court | 1661 | Edinburgh Musselburgh |
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 |
| None | Haircloth |
| ordeals | |
|---|---|
| date of ordeal | ordeal type |
| no recorded ordeals | |
| confessions | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| central trial confession | date | location | notes |
| no | 11/7/1661 | Musselburgh | None |
| no | 29/7/1661 | Musselburgh | None |
| no | 28/7/1661 | Musselburgh | None |
| no | None | Newton | None |
other information
- Pre-trial notes
- He was interrogated in the tolbooth of Musselburgh on 19/7/1661 and then he confessed again. On 28/7/1661 he said he only confessed because he was put in a 'haircloath' that he knew nothing of witchcraft, but that he wouldn't deny his confession in court.
- 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
- 29/7/1661
- trial place
- no information
place of trial
- settlement
- no information
- parish
- no information
- presbytery
- no information
- county
- Edinburgh
- burgh
- Musselburgh
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
- The whole central justiciary went there with the Books of Adjournal.
| persons associated with the trial | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| name | title | office | occupation | involvement | witchpricker? | notes |
| Robert Dalgleish | Mr of Lauriston | substitute advocate to Sir John Fletcher | advocate | Prosecutor | no | Involved in cases/trials in 1661. |
| Thomas Baillie | None | None | None | Chancellor | no | ?Edington. Involved in trials in 1661. |
Post-trial phase
- sentence
- Execution
- executed?
- yes
- execution date
- 30/7/1661
- execution place
- no information
- execution method
- Strangle & Burn
- post trial notes
- None
| other named witches | ||
|---|---|---|
| name | trial link | accused link |
| Margaret Daillis | T/LA/280 | A/LA/2666 |
| William King | T/LA/375 | A/LA/2655 |
| Walter Cowan | T/LA/279 | A/LA/2665 |
Mentioned as a witch
| mentioned as a witch | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| type | name | mention date | fate | linked trialdate | trial link | notes |
| no mentions | ||||||