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/EGD/124 Francis Stewart, Earl of Bothwell

name of accused
Francis Stewart, Earl of Bothwell
designated title
Earl
Accused Reference
A/EGD/113
Case date start
23/5/1589
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

  • consulting (secondary characteristic)
  • consulting (primary characteristic)
  • maleficium (secondary characteristic)
  • Implicated by another (secondary characteristic)
  • political motive (secondary characteristic)
  • treason (secondary characteristic)
Characterisation Notes
He was charged with consulting Richard Graham and other witches.
additional persons
name involvement notes
no additional persons recorded

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
Notes
Accused of being involved in the use of wax images, poison and other means to kill King James. The poison was made from flesh off the forehead of a newly calved foal and the skin of an adder. Also accused of being part of incantations and triangle making to raise spirits to help him destroy the king.

Counter strategies

  • no information

white magic

  • no information

Elf/fairy elements

  • no information

Shape-changing

  • no information

Ritual objects

  • Wax/clay images
  • Flesh
  • Snake skin

Religious motif

  • no information

Calendar customs

  • no information

Diseases or illness

Notes
None

Cause of witch's malice

  • no information

Other maleficia

Damage to property

  • no information

weather modification

  • no information

Notes
None

Other charges

  • Treason
  • Consulting
Notes
None

Plea

Claimed bewitched
no
Claimed possessed
no
Admitted lesser charges
no
No defence
no
Claimed natural causes
no
Notes
None
Case Notes
Charges went back to 1589, when it was claimed he led a band of 'broken men and borderers' against the king. The charges of treason were elaborated with those of necromancy and witchcraft later. He was in ward in Edinburgh Castle 15 April 1591 and escaped 21/6/1591. He was linked to the North Bewick cases and was believed to have consulted with witches for the destruction of James VI. Bothwell was stripped of lands. He was forgiven all charges on 14/8/1593. Charges against him were reopened again on 20/9/1594 when he joined with the Catholic lords
references
name notes
RPC v4 p. 643-4 Same text as Pitcairn v I, part II, page 259-260 J.PROC.S.R.O. LIST; narration of later developments concerning the Earl of Bothwell RPC v5, p. 94 note 1.
APS Vol 3, pp 537-8. Ratification of the process against Bothwell. Dated 31/5/1592 this was after he had escaped from Edinburgh castle. His punishment was to lose his lands and titles.
RPC v5 p. 173-175 None
Books of Adjournal JC2/2 fo. 138r-142v Narrates his treason trial, but nothing about witchcraft.
Calendar of State Papers Relating to Scotland v. 11, pp. 61-2, 63 None
Process Notes JC26/2 roll None
Process Notes JC26/2 witchcraft bundle, item 9 statement about why Richard Graham's testimony can't be taken in evidence against Bothwell.
Process Notes JC26/2 witchcraft bundle, item 7 list of assize
Process Notes JC26/2 witchcraft bundle, item 6x, 5 trial transcript, draft, the page is damaged so can't tell exactly what it is.