Hammiltoun,Alexander

Case Reference: C/EGD/166

Case Summary
Case RefC/EGD/166
AccusedAlexander Hammiltoun
Case Start Date9/12/1628
Case Date22/1/1630
Common NameHammiltoun,Alexander
Characterization
TypePrimarySecondary
Demonic ✓ ✓
Fairies — ✓
Folk Healing — ✓
Maleficium — ✓
Implicated by Another — ✓
Refused Charity — ✓

Notes: The whole case seems to be built around his confession of multiple meetings with the Devil and other witches. Some healing with specific rituals, and revenge harm for refusal of charity but it mostly revolves around the Devil. Need to know more about local context.

Devil PresentYes
Communal SexYes
Devil WorshipNo
Food and DrinkNo
DancingNo
SingingNo

Notes: a)Meeting at 12:00! B)btw 12-1am, renew pact and get money, became the D's 'bund man'. C) Heid of the broken calsay (roadway/pavement) of Niddry near the How of the Deane, on the way to Edmestoun (?). Devil had sex with Oswald and Gilmore, on the How of the Deane for 15min. At Coldingham Law he confessed to trying to destroy George Home of Manderston.

Meeting Places
PlaceLocationInversion
ValleyDen betwixt Nidrie and EdmestounNo
Hilltopa) Hugstoun Hillis, 12:00No
Hilltopb) Gairnetoun HillisNo
Hilltopbewest the castle of DunceNo
ForestSaltoun woidNo
HilltopMonkrig above the stob staneNo
LinksLinkis of PrestounNo
MoorCauld Coit mureNo
Roadc) heid of the broken Calsey of NiddryNo
HilltopColdingham LawNo
HouseOswald's in Nyddrie MylneNo

The Devil said he should not desire meat, clothing or money. The Devil gave him a baton that he could use to raise the Devil - a magic wand? He had to pay the Devil in kind with a cat, a laif, a dog or some other animal. D gave him 4shillings, (Sterling). The Devil also appeared to him in England. First meeting with devil was in 1624 between 11-12 in the day.

TypeText
Want nothingmeat, clothing or money
Servant
Anti-baptism
Bond/Band'Bund man'
Devil Appearances
TypeText
Maleman in grey clothes
Animal DevilFoal
MaleMan
Maleblack man in black clothes, no cloak and a wand
Animal DevilCorbie (Raven)
Animal Devilcat
Animal Devildog

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

Notes: Using ulie (oil) spek cammomyle and heart creishc (creesh = fat, grease or tallow). Lots of information about healing techniques in his dittay (JC26/9). He supposedly tried to destroy Manderston by leaving a dead foul in his barn which killed lots of horses. Used cats and birds for healing. Instructed a woman to cure her husband by rubbing him with a wet cloth.

Elf/Fairy Elements
  • Meeting at 12:00
Ritual Objects
  • Baton
  • Thread
  • Corn
  • Cloth
  • Water
  • Bird (dead)
  • Cat
  • Camomile

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 said he got the power of charming from the Devil.

Property Damage Types
  • Crops

  • Refusal of alms

  • Michaelmas

  • Sorcery
  • Murder

NameTitleInvolvementNotes
Patrick Abernethy Investigatorto testify about Hammilton's accusations against Lady Manderstone, he did not appear and was put to the horn
David Aikenhead Investigator
Patrick Brown Investigator
George Cockburn of OrmistonInvestigatorwas ordered to apprehend Hamilton at the beginning of his case. Later conveyed him to Haddington prison
Cockburn Laird of OrmistonInvestigatorconveyed him to Haddington prison
Andrew Fraser Expert Witnesshe supervised the movements of Hamilton
Alexander Heriot Investigator
George Home Sir of ManderstonInvestigatorstatement made where Hamilton denies being pressured to accuse people by Home
Patrick Home Sir of AytonInvestigatormoving hammilton around
William Mowat Investigatorto testify about Hammilton's accusations against Lady Manderstone, he did not appear and was put to the horn
James Mowat of FawsideInvestigatorwas present at his depositions
Robert Richardson MrInvestigatorto help with the great witch round up of suspects to confront with Hammilton
Archibald Tod Investigator
Patrick Twick MrInvestigator

SourceReferenceNotes
SJCV1, p. 132SJC. V1. p. 143. Also found in the High Court Record Index, no. 1 for 22/1/1630.
RPC2nd series, iii, 220, 290, 334, 361-2,378, 397-400,443, 515.Hamilton is mentioned as having implicated several women as witches and RPC charts the progress of the different stages of both Hamilton's investigation and trial and those related to the women he accused.
Haddington Presbytery recordsCH2/185/4, 38rHamilton mentioned in presbytery minutes noting his accusations of several women who are to be investigated for witchcraft.
Royal LettersVol 2, p 418.'The Earl of Stirling's Register of Royal Letters, Relative to the Affairs of Scotland and Nova Scotia' Charles Rogers (Ed.), (Edinburgh, 1885). This reference was supplied by Aonghas MacCoinnich.
RPC2nd S v3, p. 222
RPC2nd S v3, p. 290
RPC2nd S v3, p. 334;515Hammilton is mentioned as having denounced them.
RPC2nd S v3, p.361, 362, 378, 397-400, 443pp. 361, 378, 397-400; 443 concern Lady Manderston.
RPC2nd S, v3 p. 397-400; 592Detailed description of how his depositions were taken and by whom. He was clearly fed names of people to denounced and pressured by the people taking his statement to name specific other witches. Second reference is about Mowat who was horned and in trouble after being found guilty of lying about taking depositions from Hammilton.
Books of AdjournalJC2/6 fos. 315v-319rAlso mentioned in NAS JC2/6 fo. 303-310.
RPC2nd S, v2 p. 518arrest
Royal Lettersv2, p. 418The King wants to sort out whether Hammiltoun was lying or whether Sir George Home of Manderston was forcing him to lie.
Process NotesJC26/9 item 14
Process NotesJC26/9 item 11witness statements
Process NotesJC26/9 item 12Assize ordered to appear at tolbooth of Edinburgh for trial on 22/1//1630, issued on 21/1/ 1630. Includes a list of the assize.
Process NotesJC26/9 item 13trial notes
Process NotesJC26/9 item 1, 3rd Hammiltoun bundleA report for the Lord Advocate on the Hammiltoun case and the involvment of George Home of Manderston.
Process NotesJC26/9 (John Hog and wife bundle) item 6His elaborate testimony against John Hog and Margaret Nicolson, that he later retracted.
Process NotesJC26/9 items 1Witness statements about other accused witches.
Process NotesJC26/9 item 2Narration of the events and case against Hammilton.
Process NotesJC26/9 item 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10His own statements, confessions and narrations.
Trials (2)
Trial RefDateYearVerdictSentenceExecution
T/LA/11 No
T/LA/15 22/1/16301630 GuiltyExecution Yes
Case Notes
The King was petitioned as well, regarding this case and Sir George Home of Manderstone (see Register of Royal Letters, v1 p. 377, v2 p. 418, 553). It seems he was pressured to give evidence about most of the witchcraft suspects from East Lothian at that time!