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/576 Jean Weir

name of accused
Jean Weir
designated title
no information
Accused Reference
A/EGD/565
Case date start
no information
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)
  • demonic (secondary characteristic)
  • other (secondary characteristic)
  • other (primary characteristic)
  • other text incest
Characterisation Notes
I think she was investigated for the witchcraft, consulting and fairy contacts after the charge of incest was made public.
additional persons
name involvement notes
no additional persons recorded

Qualitative information

Non-natural beings

Notes
She did not meet the devil as such, but dealt with a 'woman' described as most likely a spirit who was 'evidently the devil or a sorcerer'.
  • Spirit as a woman
  • Female Fairy queen of fairy

Demonic pacts

  • Head and foot foot on a cloth on the floor
  • Anti-baptism this was implied by the prosecution

witches meetings

Notes
None

Meeting places

  • no information

musical instruments

  • no information

Folk culture

  • Specific Verbal Formulae
  • Specific ritual acts
Notes
The spirit woman offered to go to the queen of fairy to get help for Jean. After receiving help from the woman who went to talk to the queen of fairy Jean was spinning and found a lot of money.

Counter strategies

  • no information

white magic

  • no information

Elf/fairy elements

  • Queen of Fairy
  • Spinning

Shape-changing

  • no information

Ritual objects

  • Cloth
  • Herb

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

  • Consulting
  • Incest
  • 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
Linked with the incest, bestiality and adultery charges launched at her brother. He was convicted and executed. But I found no mention of witchcraft in his trial transcript in JC2/13 f. 8v-9v.
references
name notes
High Court Process Notes JC2/13 ff. 9v-12v not proper folio numbers, but they are in pencil on bottom of page.