Malcolme,Issobell

Case Reference: C/EGD/2268

Case Summary
Case RefC/EGD/2268
AccusedIssobell Malcolme
Case Start Date12/3/1637
Case Date21/11/1644
Age at Case45
Common NameMalcolme,Issobell
Characterization
TypePrimarySecondary
Folk Healing
Maleficium
Not Enough Info

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

Notes: Initial charges in 1637 relate to charming and she confessed to helping women who were infertile but no details of her practices. Seems to have been no further action by presbytery in 1637. In the later charge she appears to have diagnosed that another woman's mother-in-law (goodame) had 'gotten wrong' from another neighbour's house, ie the cause of the harm. This seems to have backfired on her.

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 offered advice about infertility.

  • Charming

NameTitleInvolvementNotes
Robert Jameson MrInvestigatormoderator
Richard Maitland MrInvestigator

SourceReferenceNotes
Strathbogie Presbytery recordsCH2/342/2, f 19v, 25r, 43v, 45v, 49r, 54r, 56r, 57r, 61r.Presbytery records have entries for 1637 and 1640 but she did not appear in 5/1640. Gap in minutes, then entry notes that she had been summmoned and searched for but not found. Later entries in 1644 record that she was summoned x3 but DNA, ordered to satisfy in sackcloth in own parish and eventually to be excommunicated. Last entry notes that she was dead.
Trials (1)
Trial RefDateYearVerdictSentenceExecution
T/JO/1267 Excommunicated No