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/744 Mary Morisone

name of accused
Mary Morisone
designated title
no information
Accused Reference
A/EGD/733
Case date start
19/1/1697
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 possesion (secondary characteristic)
  • demonic possessions (primary characteristic)
  • maleficium (secondary characteristic)
Characterisation Notes
Complicated case involving numerous accusations of murdering children through magical strangulation and possession of several children. Much of the evidence was derived from the testimony of children who claimed to be possessed and tormented by witches. But there was great concern over the murdered children and a murdered minister. The record describes the physical torment of the possessed children in great detail. An extraordinary document! The second arrest, was about the possession of two girls Margaret Laird and Margaret Murdoch Laird was unable to eat or drink but there are no details about whether there was some personal dispute involved. The usual possession symptoms - spitting pins, contortions, pain, bite marks, and calling out names of tormentors. Very detailed documents. See Agnes Supp for description of the tormenting/possesion.
additional persons
name involvement notes
David Brown Investigator
James Brisbane Investigator
James Stirling Investigator
Robert Miller Investigator
John Paisley Investigator
Patrick Simpson Investigator
Thomas Blackwell Investigator
Patrick Simpson Investigator
John Maxwell Commissioner
William Muir Commissioner
John Stewart Commissioner
John Alexander Commissioner
Robert Sempill Commissioner
Francis Montgomery Commissioner
John Houston Commissioner
John Shaw Commissioner
John Kincaid Commissioner
Alexander Stewart Commissioner

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

Notes
None

Counter strategies

  • no information

white magic

  • no information

Elf/fairy elements

  • no information

Shape-changing

  • no information

Ritual objects

  • no information

Religious motif

  • no information

Calendar customs

  • no information

Diseases or illness

  • Human death
  • Animal illness
Notes
accused of killing a child. Main accusation was possession.

Cause of witch's malice

  • no information

Other maleficia

Damage to property

  • no information

weather modification

  • no information

Notes
None

Other charges

  • no information

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 released from prison due to pregnancy. She was confined to Edinburgh by the Privy Council on 6 September 1698 to answer to them any time before 15 November 1698 for accusations of witchcraft. She seems to have been charged again in 1699 and then the diet was deserted in 1700. This is the same general trajectory as Annabel Reid (c/la/2971) Her husband's bond of caution survives - 20/5/1699. Denounced by Margaret Laird in Paisley, and Margaret Murdoch in Govan. Both girls claimed to be tormented by witches. Laird and Murdoch denounced many people while in fits. Most of the witness testimony was given in Paisley (19-21 April 1699, from Laird) and Glasgow (22 April 1699 from Murdoch). Testimony came from people who witnessed Laird's fits and denunciations among other things.
references
name notes
Books of Adjournal JC3/1 f. 87 None
Paisley Presbytery records CH2/294/4. Pagination not accurate so use dates.
Circuit Court Books JC10/4 fos. 1r-81r second pagination None
Process Notes JC26/81 bundle 1, f. 2 her husband's bond of caution for her.
Process Notes JC26/81 f. 89 a dittay roll for the circuit court in Glasgow trial set for 19/5/1699.
Circuit Court Books JC10/4 third section None
Privy Council PC1/51 p. 468 None