Maxwell,Elizabeth
Case Reference: C/EGD/217
Case Summary
| Case Ref | C/EGD/217 |
|---|---|
| Accused | Elizabeth Maxwell |
| Case Start Date | 21/1/1650 |
| Case Date | 21/1/1650 |
| Common Name | Maxwell,Elizabeth |
|---|
Characterisation
| Type | Primary | Secondary |
|---|---|---|
| Unorthodox Religious Practice | — | ✓ |
| Demonic | — | ✓ |
| Folk Healing | — | ✓ |
| Maleficium | — | ✓ |
| Neighbourhood Dispute | ✓ | ✓ |
Notes: Mostly illnesses from neighbourhood disputes.
The mark was blue.
| Type | Text |
|---|---|
| Devil's Mark | on the viens and sinews of her leg. |
| Elphane/Fairyland | — |
|---|---|
| Food/Drink | — |
| Verbal Formulae | ✓ |
| Ritual Acts | ✓ |
| Familiars | — |
| Shape Changing | — |
|---|---|
| Dreams/Visions | — |
| Unorthodox Religious Practice | ✓ |
| Sympathetic Magic | ✓ |
| Riding Dead | — |
Notes: Took a rowan over her head to cure a sickness. Asked God for her daughter's health. A man saw her riding a cat and leading two in her hands. He became ill after he witnessed this.
Ritual Objects
- Rowan tree
- Cat
Religious Motifs
- Prayer
- Prayer
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: Quarrelling followed by sickness. Quarrel about an exchange, parted in wrath, sickness. Refused to pay the monthly maintenance (pay due to troops) and the collector became ill.
Other Maleficia Notes: A woman was collecting a £10 debt from Elizabeth, Elizabeth refused to pay and threatened her ale, and the woman became poor.
Property Damage Types
- Ale
- Social slight
- Prayer
- Prayer
| Name | Title | Involvement | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| John Burgess | Commissioner | ||
| John Crichton | of Crawfordton | Commissioner | |
| James Douglas | Mr | Commissioner | |
| Thomas Ferguson | of Caitloch | Commissioner | |
| Thomas MacBrair | Investigator | He was called in by her community | |
| Thomas MacBurnie | Commissioner | ||
| Thomas Ramsay | Mr | Investigator | He was called in by her community |
| Robert Richardson | Commissioner |
| Source | Reference | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Process Notes | JC26/13 Bundle A |
Trials (1)
| Trial Ref | Date | Year | Verdict | Sentence | Execution |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| T/LA/1501 | No |
Case Notes
Part of a group of 7 investigated by the Presbytery of Dumfries on this date.