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/434 Agnes Williamsone

name of accused
Agnes Williamsone
designated title
no information
Accused Reference
A/EGD/423
Case date start
1649
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)
  • maleficium (secondary characteristic)
  • Implicated by another (secondary characteristic)
  • neighbourhood dispute (secondary characteristic)
  • neighbourhood dispute (primary characteristic)
Characterisation Notes
All of the accusations against her revolved around business type dealings, land, borrowing money, payments in kind. She seemed to have been suspected of witchcraft after many convicted witches accused her. The accusations were believable because of quarrels followed by harm. Many documents mention her common repute as a witch. She was previously denounced in 1649 with no mention of what happened there. She was denounced by James Welch sometime before 1662. Petition to parliament from Earl of Haddington. He claimed that witchcraft was increasing in his lands and had imprisoned the suspects. He also claimed that two of them were accused of robbery as well.

Qualitative information

Non-natural beings

Notes
Accused of giving her newly born baby to the Devil and claiming that it had died in childbirth. Confessed that she became a witch after discord with her husband.
  • Male

Demonic pacts

  • Anti-baptism
  • Devil's Mark Shoulder
  • New name Marie Luckifoot
  • Sex
  • Servant

witches meetings

Notes
Welch denounced her for being at a meeting at Haddington mill, and being at a meeting to destroy someone with two wisps at a barn door.

Meeting places

  • no information

musical instruments

  • no information

Folk culture

  • Specific ritual acts
  • Shape changing
Notes
Her husband offered ale to one of her accusers.

Counter strategies

  • Appeasement

white magic

  • no information

Elf/fairy elements

  • no information

Shape-changing

  • Apparition to man in his sleep
  • Apparition to a man caught in a whirlwind

Ritual objects

  • Flesh

Religious motif

  • no information

Calendar customs

  • Fastings eve

Diseases or illness

  • Animal death
  • Quarreling
  • Cursing
Notes
She was heard to say 'a ha, a ha' before killing a horse by taking a piece of flesh the size of a golf ball out of its mouth and leaving pieces of flesh that looked like tobacco pipes nearby. She possibly deliberately aborted her pregnancy.

Cause of witch's malice

  • Business interactions
  • Failed business interaction

Other maleficia

  • Property damage
  • Weather modification

    • Damage to property

    • Meal
    • Buildings
    • Mill
    • Crops

    weather modification

    • Whirlwind
    Notes
    None

    Other charges

    • Sorcery
    • Charming
    Notes
    None

    Plea

    Claimed bewitched
    no
    Claimed possessed
    no
    Admitted lesser charges
    no
    No defence
    no
    Claimed natural causes
    no
    Notes
    No acts alleged
    Case Notes
    Part of the large number of people denounced by James Welch. He was deemed too young to stand trial so he was imprisoned. But his confession and some of his denunciations were taken seriously by the authorities.
    references
    name notes
    Books of Adjournal JC2/11; JC2/10 fos 60r-64r JC2/11 and JC2/10 have the same text. Also found in the High Court Record Index, no. 1 for 27/1/1662.
    APS Vol 7, p 123, appendix p 31 None
    RPC 3rd S v1 p. 78 None
    RPC 2nd S, v8 pp. 204-5 None
    Process Notes JC26/28 mentioned
    Process Notes JC26/28 item 1 memorandum to draw up an indictment.
    Process Notes JC26/28 item 2 dittay
    Process Notes JC26/28 item 3, 4 witness statements
    Process Notes JC26/28 items 5, 6 trial text