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/392 Elspeth Mowat

Name of the accused
Elspeth Mowat
Associated case
C/EGD/359 (7/8/1661)
Trial process type
Central Court
associated trials
trial reference accused trial type trial year trial place
T/LA/308 Agnes Pogavie Central Court 1661 Edinburgh

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
no recorded ordeals
confessions
central trial confession date location notes
no 29/7/1661 Libberton None

other information

Pre-trial notes
She is listed in a draft dittay with 12 other suspects, with the date 7/8/1661 on it. Unlcear why she didn't proceed to trial?
watched?
no
watch date
no information
arrested?
no
arrest date
no information
fled?
no
date absconded
no information
action dropped?
yes
action dropped date
7/8/1661
action dropped by
no information
trial action body
High Court
confronting suspects?
no

Trial phase

trial date
7/8/1661
trial place
no information

place of trial

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

verdict

verdict
no information
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 justice found that the confession was not compelling. She changed it to say that if she met the Devil it was all in a dream. The charges were dropped.
persons associated with the trial
name title office occupation involvement witchpricker? notes
no recorded additional persons

Post-trial phase

sentence
no information
executed?
no
execution date
no information
execution place
no information
execution method
no information
post trial notes
None
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