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/JO/3033 Margerat Bane

name of accused
Margerat Bane (alias Clerk)
designated title
no information
Accused Reference
A/JO/2894
Case date start
25/3/1597
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

  • demonic (secondary characteristic)
  • folk healing (secondary characteristic)
  • maleficium (secondary characteristic)
  • midwifery (secondary characteristic)
  • Implicated by another (secondary characteristic)
  • Implicated by others (primary characteristic)
  • white magic (secondary characteristic)
Characterisation Notes
Bane's association with Spaldarge seems to have condemned her although Bane herself seems to have named quite a few others.

Qualitative information

Non-natural beings

Notes
Confessed that her sister Spaldarge had taught her all her skill and witchcraft, and inducted her to the devil's service.
  • Animal Devil grey stag
  • Animal Devil bird
  • Animal Devil horse

Demonic pacts

  • Paction
  • Servant

witches meetings

  • Malificium
Notes
In Issobell Richie's dittay it was claimed that Issobell had taken Bane to meetings with the devil and other witches, but no detail from Bane herself.

Meeting places

  • no information

musical instruments

  • no information

Folk culture

  • Specific ritual acts
  • Sympathetic magic
Notes
With her sister Spaldarge, she seems to have had a vision of a headless man, which they claimed predicted the death of a man. Seen paddling in loch on Nuris Day, throwing water and erd and stane (ritual of land ownership) over her shoulders. Took fire peat from one man's house to her own house and later daughter/son (?) of the man died. Predicted the birth of a child. Did not exchange any greeting with a man who later died. Touched boy on both cheeks, later he died.

Counter strategies

  • no information

white magic

  • Prophesy

Elf/fairy elements

  • no information

Shape-changing

  • no information

Ritual objects

  • Water
  • Stones

Religious motif

  • no information

Calendar customs

  • Halloween
  • Nuris Day

Diseases or illness

  • Human illness
  • Human death
  • Animal death
  • Transferring disease
  • Quarreling
  • Cursing
  • Healing animals
  • Midwifery
Notes
Claimed with Issobell Richie she performed acts of malefice. Consulted as midwife to help labour pains, which were transferred to other people. Helped with calf not suckling, but later wife took ill.Cursed man after he said she would burn. He drowned.

Cause of witch's malice

  • no information

Other maleficia

Damage to property

  • no information

weather modification

  • no information

Notes
Accused of cursing a man who had argued and hit her son, Duncan Gardyne.

Other charges

  • Murder
Notes
None

Plea

Claimed bewitched
no
Claimed possessed
no
Admitted lesser charges
no
No defence
no
Claimed natural causes
no
Notes
None
Case Notes
None
references
name notes
Spalding Club Miscellany Vol I, p 141-2. None
Spalding Club Miscellany Vol I, p 156-62. None
Spalding Club Miscellany Vol V, p 67. Burgh accounts for her execution.