The Survey of Scottish Witchcraft

1563-1736

By Julian Goodare, Lauren Martin, Joyce Miller and Louise Yeoman, January 2003

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Case Details

C/EGD/2277 Gilbert Robisone

name of accused
Gilbert Robisone
designated title
no information
Accused Reference
A/EGD/2212
Case date start
1640
Given case date
no information
Case commission
no information
case complaint
no information
case correspondence
no information
case chronicle
no information
other details
no information

characterisation

  • folk healing (secondary characteristic)
  • not enough information (secondary characteristic)
  • not enough information (primary characteristic)
Characterisation Notes
Charming appears to have been the main element but not enough other information.

Qualitative information

Non-natural beings

Notes
None
  • no information

Demonic pacts

  • no information

witches meetings

Notes
None

Meeting places

  • no information

musical instruments

  • no information

Folk culture

  • Specific ritual acts
  • Sympathetic magic
Notes
Used nail trimmings which were to be placed between the bark and rind of a tree. Robisone appears to have agreed to cure diseased person in return for some clothes. Used nail parings to transfer sickness.

Counter strategies

  • no information

white magic

  • no information

Elf/fairy elements

  • no information

Shape-changing

  • no information

Ritual objects

  • Nail trimmings
  • Tree
  • Earth

Religious motif

  • no information

Calendar customs

  • no information

Diseases or illness

  • Human death
  • Transferring disease
  • Healing humans
Notes
Offered to cure diseased man in return for clothes? The man was reluctant to participate in the ritual and eventually died.

Cause of witch's malice

  • no information

Other maleficia

Damage to property

  • no information

weather modification

  • no information

Notes
None

Other charges

  • Charming
Notes
None

Plea

Claimed bewitched
no
Claimed possessed
no
Admitted lesser charges
no
No defence
no
Claimed natural causes
no
Notes
Note in presbytery records that the accused denied the charges.
Case Notes
None
references
name notes
None None Chambers, R 'Domestic Annals of Scotland' (Edinburgh, 1861), pp. 160-1. The project did not check Larner's reference to this printed secondary source as part of the research.
Peebles Presbytery records CH2/295/2, 157v, 159v Entries record investigation and minutes the statements from key witnesses who claimed that Robisone was responsible for the death of their brother (20/4/1643). Later entries note that there was to be a trial in Peebles (4/1/16440 and another one records that he denied the charges.