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

Trial Details

T/LA/602 Margaret Burges

Name of the accused
Margaret Burges
Associated case
C/EGD/1058 (27/1/1629)
Trial process type
Local Court
associated trials
trial reference accused trial type trial year trial place
no recorded trials

Pre-trial actions

commissions
commission body type date seal notes
Privy Council Justiciary 25/11/1628 signet A copy of the commission exists in JC26.
previous commissions
commission body date
no recorded prior commission
appeals
central authority reason appeal date
no recorded appeals
complaints
type date of complaint lodged at appeal date complainent involvement
no recorded complaints
move to higher legal authority
moved to date of move
no recorded move to higher legal authority
denunciations
denuncation date dated
12/10/1628 Kirk of Cramond
imprisonments
incarceration date central trial imprison prison location moving
no recorded imprisonments
tortures
date of torture torture type
no recorded tortures
ordeals
date of ordeal ordeal type
22/12/1628 Pricking
confessions
central trial confession date location notes
no recorded confessions

other information

Pre-trial notes
On 12 Oct. 1628 she proceeded against two people for slander in calling her a witch. This pursuit backfired and the ministers decided there was enough evidence from the testimony in the slander case to warrant trying to get a commission of justiciary to try her for witchcraft. She was investigated and witness statements were taken by her commission starting on 29 Nov. 1628, and then on 13, 17, 18, 22 December 1628.
watched?
no
watch date
no information
arrested?
no
arrest date
no information
fled?
no
date absconded
no information
action dropped?
no
action dropped date
no information
action dropped by
no information
trial action body
no information
confronting suspects?
yes

Trial phase

trial date
27/1/1629
trial place
no information

place of trial

settlement
no information
parish
no information
presbytery
no information
county
no information
burgh
no information

verdict

verdict
Guilty
defence
yes
female accusers
12
male accusers
14
recorded as high status?
no
order for central judiciary trial
no
judiciary trial date
no information
circuit court (mixed central and local)
no
circuit name
no information
local court with central representatives
no
trial notes
Dittay dated 29 Nov. 1628. Assize summoned on 21 January 1628
persons associated with the trial
name title office occupation involvement witchpricker? notes
William Adamson of Craignooke None None Prosecutor no Also recorded as Mr of Graycruik. Involved in cases in 1628-9.
David Prymrois Mr None advocate Prosecutor no Involved in cases and trials in 1628-9, 1632 and 1639. Name might also be spelled Primrose.
John Dunlop Mr None advocate Prosecutor no Involved in trial in 1629.
David MacGill Mr None advocate Defence no Involved in cases in 1586, 1590-1, 1593, 1614 and 1628-9.
Jean Bodin None None Author Cited authority no Noted political writer who wrote a much used book on demonology. Cited in 1629 and 1645.

Post-trial phase

sentence
Execution
executed?
yes
execution date
no information
execution place
Castle Hill
execution method
Strangle & Burn
post trial notes
None
other named witches
name trial link accused link
Elspeth Baird T/LA/603 A/EGD/1048

Mentioned as a witch

mentioned as a witch
type name mention date fate linked trialdate trial link notes
no mentions