Bathgate,Elizabeth
Case Reference: C/EGD/173
Case Summary
| Case Ref | C/EGD/173 |
|---|---|
| Accused | Elizabeth Bathgate |
| Case Start Date | 16/12/1633 |
| Case Date | 4/6/1634 |
| Age at Case | 57 |
| Common Name | Bathgate,Elizabeth |
|---|
Characterization
| Type | Primary | Secondary |
|---|---|---|
| Demonic | — | ✓ |
| Fairies | — | ✓ |
| Maleficium | — | ✓ |
| Neighbourhood Dispute | ✓ | ✓ |
Notes: The main testimony was about disputes that Bathgate and her husband had with neighbours.
| Devil Present | Yes |
|---|---|
| Communal Sex | No |
| Devil Worship | No |
| Food and Drink | No |
| Dancing | No |
| Singing | No |
Meeting Places
| Place | Location | Inversion |
|---|---|---|
| Barn | head of the dead mans burne | No |
| Mill | No | |
| Yard | tenth (teynd) yard | No |
| Shore | in Eyemouth | No |
| Elphane/Fairyland | — |
|---|---|
| Food/Drink | — |
| Verbal Formulae | — |
| Ritual Acts | ✓ |
| Familiars | — |
| Shape Changing | ✓ |
|---|---|
| Dreams/Visions | — |
| Unorthodox Religious Practice | — |
| Sympathetic Magic | ✓ |
| Riding Dead | — |
Notes: Alleged use of an enchanted egg (?changeling egg) to kill a child. A bruise caused by Bathgate supposedly swelled into the shape of an egg and rotten egg-like substance flowed from the swelling. Old Lady Cranston declaired that the bairn was betwitched. She was seen dancing widdershins around a mill stone.
Elf/Fairy Elements
- Horseshoe
Ritual Objects
- Horseshoe
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: Nipping a child
Other Maleficia Notes: Fire raising
Property Damage Types
- Mill
- Boats
- Failed business interaction
- Revenge for being called a witch
- Debt
- Michaelmas
- Sorcery
- Counter-magic
| Claimed Bewitched | — |
|---|---|
| Claimed Possessed | — |
| Admitted Lesser Charge | — |
| Claimed Natural Causes | ✓ |
| No Defence | — |
Notes: Argued that no words or deeds were alleged; use of ridicule to challenge witnesses
| Name | Title | Involvement | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Patrick Home | Sir of Ayton | Investigator | |
| John Home | Mr | Investigator | |
| Issobel Ker | Lady Ayton | Expert Witness |
| Source | Reference | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Books of Adjournal | JC2/7 fo 148v; 154r | |
| Spottiswoode Miscellany | Vol 2, p 64-6 | Copy of the trial records. |
| Books of Adjournal | JC2/7 fo. 160r-168 | |
| RPC | 2nd S v5 p. 176-177; 572 | PC paper (p. 572) is the summons against Sir Patrik Home of Aittoun and others. It is dated 16/12/1633 |
| RPC | 2nd S, v5 p. 593-594 | To be released from prison and to remain in Edinburgh till her trial. |
| RPC | 2nd S, v5 p. 605 | Evidentiary complaint. |
Trials (1)
| Trial Ref | Date | Year | Verdict | Sentence | Execution |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| T/LA/104 | 4/6/1634 | 1634 | Not Guilty | No |
Case Notes
Very detailed case, lots of high status people involved in the investigation, particularly lots of Homes.