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/643 Janet Donald

Name of the accused
Janet Donald
Associated case
C/EGD/1092 (10/4/1629)
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 19/2/1629 signet None
Privy Council None 17/3/1629 None Adding commissioners at the request of the defendants
Privy Council None 31/3/1629 None removing the previously added commissioners and adding one more.
previous commissions
commission body date
no recorded prior commission
appeals
central authority reason appeal date
remove commissioners 31/3/1629
complaints
type date of complaint lodged at appeal date complainent involvement
Suspect's 17/3/1629 Privy Council
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 recorded confessions

other information

Pre-trial notes
She and Margaret Hunter (c/egd/1091) petitioned for a postponment of their trial and the appointment of two more commissioners with more knowledge of witchcraft. Request was granted, and trial was set for 10/4/1629.The provost of Dumbarton complained to the privy council about appointing the laird of Luss (a close kin to Umphra Colquhome, a defendant's husband) as a commissioner at the request of the defendants. The PC removed him and his associate and appointed someone else.
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
10/4/1629
trial place
no information

place of trial

settlement
no information
parish
P/ST/769
presbytery
Dumbarton
county
Dunbarton
burgh
Dumbarton

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
None
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