Mutche,Meriorie
Case Reference: C/EGD/2168
| Case Ref | C/EGD/2168 |
|---|---|
| Accused | Meriorie Mutche |
| Case Start Date | 21/11/1597 |
| Case Date | 21/11/1597 |
| Age at Case | 35 |
| Common Name | Mutche,Meriorie |
|---|
| Type | Primary | Secondary |
|---|---|---|
| Unorthodox Religious Practice | — | ✓ |
| Demonic | — | ✓ |
| Fairies | — | ✓ |
| Maleficium | — | ✓ |
| Neighbourhood Dispute | ✓ | ✓ |
| Property Motive | — | ✓ |
Notes: This seems to have been a local dispute, which involved 3 accused and a group of men (notably the Crukshanks). All three were acquitted and the pursuers ordered not to trouble them again. Similarly the families and friends of the accused were ordered not to cause any further trouble for the Crukshanks.
Laird of Esslemont claimed that she had been searched by William May who said she had marks under her left ear and neck.
| Type | Text |
|---|---|
| Devil's Mark | left ear |
| Devil's Mark | neck |
| Elphane/Fairyland | ✓ |
|---|---|
| Food/Drink | — |
| Verbal Formulae | ✓ |
| Ritual Acts | ✓ |
| Familiars | — |
| Shape Changing | — |
|---|---|
| Dreams/Visions | — |
| Unorthodox Religious Practice | ✓ |
| Sympathetic Magic | — |
| Riding Dead | — |
Notes: Accused of putting 'ane schot' in the side of one of her neighbours who contracted a sickness. Accused of using 'cantripis and incantationsis' to cause animals to die. Said to have turned herself three times backwards around a victim and touched the victim's hair with her hand, and afterwards the victim took ill.
Elf/Fairy Elements
- Elfshot
Religious Motifs
- 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: Promised to do a neighbour 'ane evil turne' after they had quarrelled. Although some of her victims were woman most were men and all the accusers were men.
Other Maleficia Notes: Accused of harming equipment and beasts and reducing one man to poverty.
Property Damage Types
- Plough
- Animals
- Whole Estate
- Revenge
- Ruidday
| Name | Title | Involvement | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alexander Chalmer | Prosecutor | ||
| Patrick Cruickshank | Complainer | ||
| George Cruickshank | Complainer | ||
| Esselmont | Laird of | Investigator | |
| Thomas Leslie | Mr | Sheriff-depute | |
| Patrick Leysk | Defence | ||
| Alexander Leysk | Defence | ||
| William May | Investigator |
| Source | Reference | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Spalding Club Miscellany | Vol I, p 131-2, 139-40. | Second entry records that the accused was 'clengit' (cleansed) of the charges. |
| Trial Ref | Date | Year | Verdict | Sentence | Execution |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| T/JO/1305 | 21/11/1597 | 1597 | Not Guilty | No |