Neill,Jon

Case Reference: C/EGD/169

Case Summary
Case RefC/EGD/169
AccusedJon Neill
Case Start Date22/1/1630
Case Date2/4/1631
Age at Case41
Common NameNeill,Jon
Characterization
TypePrimarySecondary
Demonic — ✓
Folk Healing ✓ ✓
Maleficium — ✓
Implicated by Another — ✓

Notes: All of his accusations involved folk healing. Especially transfering disease from a sick person to someone else during a healing ritual. He seems to have been caught up by Manderston, the witch hunter. Neill was accused of participating in the supposed plot to kill Sir George Home of Manderston and several other justice officials (a clerk, a bailie and a minister). He was paid for his services and seems to have been widely consulted, especially for his ability to tell whether a sick person would live or die.

Devil PresentYes
Communal SexNo
Devil WorshipNo
Food and DrinkNo
DancingNo
SingingNo

Notes: Was accused of being at several witches' meetings and asking the Devil for the power to kill Manderston and others.

Meeting Places
PlaceLocationInversion
Coldingham LawNo

TypeText
Servant
Devil Appearances
TypeText
Unspecified Devil

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

Notes: He was also accused of being part of supposed conspiracy to kill Sir George Home of Manderston, using a dead enchanted foil (bird) and a dead man's hand.

Elf/Fairy Elements
  • Meeting at 12:00
  • Midnight
Ritual Objects
  • Shirt
  • Water
  • Bird (dead)
  • Hand (dead)

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 had a wide range for curing-all over Berwickshire, Berwick, Grenis (?), Paxton, Foulden, Chirnside. Accusations sprang from people getting sick and dying after a disease transfer.

  • Sorcery
  • Murder

NameTitleInvolvementNotes
Archibald Acheson SirCommissioner
Adam Bellenden MrCommissioner
Matthew Carraill MrExpert Witness
William Cockburn SirInvestigatorNeill was to be handed over to him after his arrest in England
John Gaittis (Galt) MrExpert Witness
George Haliburton Sir of PenkillInvestigator
John Hamilton SirCommissioner
John Home Sir of North BerwickExpert Witness
James Home Expert Witness
David Home MrExpert Witness
George Home Sir of ManderstonInvestigator
Thomas Hope Sir of CraighallCommissioner
Alexander Kinneir MrExpert Witness
Alan Lundie MrExpert Witness
Thomas Ramsay MrExpert Witness
John Ridpeth Expert Witness
George Rule MrExpert Witness
John Scott Sir of ScotstarvetCommissioner
Alexander Smith MrExpert Witness

SourceReferenceNotes
SJCVI, p. 143Also found in the High Court Record Index, no. 1 for 26/3/1631.
SJCv1, p.169-171
RPC2nd S, v3 p. 443
RPC2nd S v3, p. 400, 448
RPC2nd S, v3 p. 496, 584; 2nd S, v4 p. 98,125, 164-165
RPC2nd S, v3 p. 513
RPC2nd S, v3 p. 541, 563
Books of AdjournalJC2/7 fo. 1r-2r, 2v
RPC2nd S, v4 p. 56charges against the masters and landlords in the Merse for bringing in their tenants to bear witness and to be confronted with John Neill and Elie Nesbitt.
RPC2nd S, v4 p. 98, 164-165
Royal Lettersv2, p. 423Order of arrest in England and to be sent back to Scotland for trial. '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.
Process NotesJC26/10a bundle with 17 items about his case, that includes information about other accused witches as well. His JC26 bundle contains a dittay, witness statements, his own statements, an interrogatory, and pre-trial procedure documents (i.e. witness summonds, etc.).
Process NotesJC26/10 'Alison Nisbet' bundle, item 13his sworn depositions at the end this document.
Trials (2)
Trial RefDateYearVerdictSentenceExecution
T/LA/17 No
T/LA/24 26/3/16311631 GuiltyExecution Yes
Case Notes
Neill fled to England, and King Charles I wrote a letter to his northern justice officials to arrest him and send him back to Scotland for trial.