Philip,John

Case Reference: C/EGD/1258

Case Summary
Case RefC/EGD/1258
AccusedJohn Philip
Case Start Date8/9/1630
Case Date22/2/1631
Common NamePhilip,John
Characterization
TypePrimarySecondary
Fairies
Folk Healing
White Magic

Notes: Definitely a folk healer who refused to stop his trade after being rebuked and banished by many kirk sessions.

Elphane/Fairyland
Food/Drink
Verbal Formulae
Ritual Acts
Familiars
Shape Changing
Dreams/Visions
Unorthodox Religious Practice
Sympathetic Magic
Riding Dead

Notes: He healed someone of the fever with the Queen of Fairy. The belt had been put around the waist of a dead bairn before being used to cure a cow. Used plaits of their hair. 'confessit he knew quhan weshing or charming [wes to be] useit and that weshing was not to be useit bot quhen there was bewitching.' He was descibed as using 'Oriesounes' which means formal speech. A later accusation against someone else detailed his cures - he used lax water from a south-running well in a white pitcher which was warmed on a fire. The water was dumped outside where a cat ran across it, went mad and attacked a man standing nearby. He taught them a charm for enhancing their crops.

Elf/Fairy Elements
  • Queen of Fairy
Ritual Objects
  • Thread
  • Water
  • Coal
  • Belt
  • Hair
  • Potions

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: confessed to charming people in Fintray of the fevers. He confessed to using potions

White Magic
  • Protective

  • Sorcery
  • Charming
  • Enchantment

NameTitleInvolvementNotes
James Deskford LordCommissioner
Robert Wilson of BrankanhillisCommissioner

SourceReferenceNotes
RPC2nd S, v4 p. 39
RPC 2nd S V4 pp. 637-639Trial report: he is mentioned in the Privy Council proceedings against Goerge Fraser and Giles Chalmers (spouses) RPC 2nd S, v5 pp.179, 565-566, 571. He was already dead when this happened.
RPC2nd S, v5 p. 565-566posthumous description of his healing activities.
Trials (2)
Trial RefDateYearVerdictSentenceExecution
T/LA/1000 No
T/LA/798 22/2/16311631 GuiltyExecution Yes
Case Notes
good description of a local trial, gives the procedure. He was a healer who worked in Fintray, Ava, Cullen, and all over the North East.