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/293 Elspet Graham

Name of the accused
Elspet Graham
Associated case
C/EGD/380 (3/8/1661)
Trial process type
Mixed Central/Local Court

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
11/7/1661 Pricking
confessions
central trial confession date location notes
no None Dalkeith None
no 21/7/1661 None None
no 22/7/1661 None None
no 27/7/1661 None None
no 1/8/1661 None None
no 3/8/1661 Dalkeith None
no 11/7/1661 Dalkeith None

other information

Pre-trial notes
She confessed to everything but renouncing her baptism. She confessed repeatedly was witnessed by her son, and confronted by her daughter for meeting with the Devil in the shape of a dog. She also confessed to contemplating suicide on 18/7/1661. Very detailed confession information.
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
3/8/1661
trial place
no information

place of trial

settlement
no information
parish
no information
presbytery
Dalkeith
county
Edinburgh
burgh
Dalkeith

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
This was a High Court of Justiciary trial held in Dalkeith. The substitute advocate and the Books of Adjournal were brought out to Dalkeith.
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.

Post-trial phase

sentence
Execution
executed?
yes
execution date
6/8/1661
execution place
no information
execution method
Strangle & Burn
post trial notes
ordered to be executed between 2 and 4 in the afternoon
other named witches
name trial link accused link
Jonet Watsone T/LA/294 A/EGD/354
Bessie Moffat T/LA/295 A/EGD/353
Jannet Meikleson T/LA/296 A/LA/2674
Katherine Watson T/LA/409 A/LA/2726

Mentioned as a witch

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