Frasser,Helene

Case Reference: C/EGD/2150

Case Summary
Case RefC/EGD/2150
AccusedHelene Frasser
Case Start Date2/2/1597
Case Date25/4/1597
Common NameFrasser,Helene
Characterisation
TypePrimarySecondary
Unorthodox Religious Practice — ✓
Demonic — ✓
Folk Healing — ✓
Maleficium ✓ ✓
Implicated by Another — ✓
White Magic — ✓

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

Notes: Frasser claimed that in order to povide for herself and her children she had pretended to have knowledge and skills, for which people consulted her. ?professional healer. Got paid in kind (salmon) for helping ensure a good catch. Told a man to eat sourrackis (wood sorrel) and lavery kale and to expose his chest to the air as birds flew by because it was 'werrie profitable to lousse his harte pypis, qihilk were closit'. Also spoke verses three times.

Ritual Objects
  • Cloth
  • Fire
  • Crook
  • Herb
Religious Motifs
  • Prayer
  • Three

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: Appears to have been requested to heal but also to cause harm. Helped salmon fishers increase their catch, prevented further deaths of hens, cured humans. Suspected of making men change their affections from one woman to another. Also caused madness.

Property Damage Types
  • Dairy
White Magic
  • Love magic

NameTitleInvolvementNotes
Alexander Cullen MrProsecutor
Patrick Findlay of NewburghInvestigator
Thomas Leslie MrProsecutor
James Menzies of FoveranInvestigator
Malie Skene Witchcraft acquired from
Thomas Tilideff MrMinister
Alexander Udnye of AuchlownChancellor

SourceReferenceNotes
Spalding Club MiscellanyVol I, pp. 105-110.
Spalding Club MiscellanyVol V, p 68.Accounts for her execution.
Trials (1)
Trial RefDateYearVerdictSentenceExecution
T/JO/203 21/4/15971597 GuiltyExecution Yes