Smith,John
Case Reference: C/EGD/1225
| Case Ref | C/EGD/1225 |
|---|---|
| Accused | John Smith |
| Case Start Date | 7/8/1623 |
| Case Date | 13/7/1631 |
| Age at Case | 44 |
| Common Name | Smith,John |
|---|
| Type | Primary | Secondary |
|---|---|---|
| Maleficium | — | ✓ |
| Implicated by Another | — | ✓ |
| Not Enough Info | ✓ | ✓ |
Notes: He was implicated by Alexander Hammiltoun and persued by James Mowat, Sheriff clerk of Berwick. He was accused of being part of a conspiracy to kill Sir George Home of Manderston and other justice officials (a bailie, a clerk, and a minister's wife). The depositions against him were declared by PC to be falsifications by Mowat. A small bit about quarrels and misfortune, but his whole dittay was dominated by the supposed conspiracy.
| Devil Present | Yes |
|---|---|
| Communal Sex | No |
| Devil Worship | No |
| Food and Drink | No |
| Dancing | Yes |
| Singing | No |
Notes: The meeting was populated with witches and fairies. He was supposedly seen by a non-witch witness at the coldingham Law meeting. The other witches and fairies disappeared leaving Smith there, the witness then followed him home and found him in bed.
Meeting Places
| Place | Location | Inversion |
|---|---|---|
| Hilltop | Coldingham Law | No |
| Hilltop | Duns Law | No |
| Hilltop | Borthwick Hill | No |
Smith supposedly witnessed the Devil having sex with all the women at the meeting and said it was 'behind lyk beistis ilk ane eftir uther'. But he himself was not described as having a physical relationship with the Devil.
| Type | Text |
|---|---|
| Tacit pact |
| Elphane/Fairyland | — |
|---|---|
| Food/Drink | — |
| Verbal Formulae | — |
| Ritual Acts | — |
| Familiars | — |
| Shape Changing | — |
|---|---|
| Dreams/Visions | — |
| Unorthodox Religious Practice | — |
| Sympathetic Magic | ✓ |
| Riding Dead | — |
Notes: He was accused of consulting with the Devil to cure himself. He was told to put his wet shirt in the doorway of a witch (presumably and unwitching strategy, the 'witch' in question being his supposed bewitcher). He was also accused of being part of the supposed conpiracy to kill Manderston by leaving a dead bird in his barn and a dead hand in his path. He was also accused of stealing the shoe of Mowat and buring it as a way of harming him.
Elf/Fairy Elements
- Group of fairies
Ritual Objects
- Shirt
- Bird (dead)
- Hand (dead)
- Shoes
Harm
| Human Illness | — |
|---|---|
| Human Death | — |
| Animal Illness | — |
| Animal Death | — |
| Female Infertility | — |
| Male Impotence | — |
Methods
| Aggravating Disease | — |
|---|---|
| Transferring Disease | — |
| Laying On | — |
| Quarreling | — |
| Cursing | — |
| Poisoning | — |
Healing / Other
| Removal of Bewitchment | ✓ |
|---|---|
| Recognised Healer | — |
| Healing Humans | — |
| Healing Animals | — |
| Midwifery | — |
| Property Damage | — |
| Weather Modification | ✓ |
Disease Notes: He tried to remove his own bewitchment.
Weather Modification Types
- Tempest
- Counter-magic
| Name | Title | Involvement | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Archibald Acheson | Sir | Commissioner | |
| Adam Bellenden | Mr | Commissioner | |
| John Hamilton | Sir | Commissioner | |
| George Home | Sir of Manderston | Investigator | |
| John Home | Sir of North Berwick | Investigator | |
| Thomas Hope | Sir of Craighall | Commissioner | |
| James Mowat | of Fawside | Investigator | cited for falsifying depositions |
| John Scott | Sir of Scotstarvet | Commissioner |
| Source | Reference | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| RPC | 2nd S, v3 p. 571, 582, 584, 587, 603 | Commissions of investigation. |
| RPC | 2nd S, v4 p. 265-266 | Complaint from the accused |
| Process Notes | JC26/9 item 2 | Alexander Hammilton Document |
| Process Notes | JC26/10 'John Neil' bundle, item 1 |