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

Case Details

C/LA/2638 Jonet Barker

name of accused
Jonet Barker
designated title
no information
Accused Reference
A/LA/2542
Case date start
22/11/1643
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)
  • demonic (primary characteristic)
  • folk healing (secondary characteristic)
Characterisation Notes
The whole case revolved around her confession to meetings and sex with the Devil. Folk healing was an incidental mention in the trial text.

Qualitative information

Non-natural beings

Notes
Claimed to learn her healing from the Devil. She was asked what her new name was and said she didn't have one, but that the Devil gave her a nip on her back.
  • Male a trymme gentleman
  • Animal Devil dog
  • Human Devil heavy like an ox

Demonic pacts

  • Servant
  • Sex in her shop
  • Sex accomplice's house
  • Sex her naiket bed
  • New name
  • Devil's Mark left shoulder

witches meetings

  • Witches meeting
  • Devil present
  • Communal sex
  • Food and drink
Notes
a small drinking party with 2 pints of 'beir'

Meeting places

  • accomplices' house House

musical instruments

  • no information

Folk culture

Notes
The Devil told her to heal a man by laying a black caird under his door. The Devil supplied the black caird. She said that she didn't keep the kirk regularly and that was why the Devil came to her.

Counter strategies

  • no information

white magic

  • no information

Elf/fairy elements

  • no information

Shape-changing

  • no information

Ritual objects

  • Caird

Religious motif

  • no information

Calendar customs

  • no information

Diseases or illness

  • Healing humans
Notes
None

Cause of witch's malice

  • no information

Other maleficia

Damage to property

  • no information

weather modification

  • no information

Notes
None

Other charges

  • Charming
  • Sorcery
Notes
None

Plea

Claimed bewitched
no
Claimed possessed
no
Admitted lesser charges
no
No defence
no
Claimed natural causes
no
Notes
None
Case Notes
She was questioned at least three times. She was tried with Margaret Lauder. It seems that Barker was arrested first and implicated Lauder (who had brought Barker cake while in prison). Lauder said that Barker had been imprisoned four years earlier for fornication.
references
name notes
SJC v3, p. 610-613 same as NAS JC2/8 pp. 347-349
Books of Adjournal JC2/8 pp. 347-349 None
Process Notes JC26/13 Bundle D item 1 None
Process Notes JC26/13 Bundle D item 2 None
Process Notes JC26/13 bundle D, item3 None