Corsan,Marione

Case Reference: C/EGD/2410

Case Summary
Case RefC/EGD/2410
AccusedMarione Corsan
Case Start Date21/1/1650
Case Date20/7/1659
Common NameCorsan,Marione
Characterization
TypePrimarySecondary
Unorthodox Religious Practice
Folk Healing
Maleficium
Neighbourhood Dispute
Not Enough Info

Notes: The dittay in 1650 has healing and quarrelling. 1659 presbytery records include details about her healing advice.

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

Notes: Confessed that she cured a neighbour of the falling sickness by laying her in a newly dug grave and cutting her belt in 9 pieces. The neighbour was better until the two fell out and the illness returned. A woman dreamt she was flyting with Marion, when she woke she saw two cats. She gripped a woman and said she accused her of calling her mother a witch, then she fell ill. The woman sought appeasement and Marion said no. The woman went to pray and heard Marion and her mother consulting with a third person she supposed to be the Devil. Marion wanted to cut her tongue out and the Devil said it couldn't be gotten. The woman fell over screaming.

Shape Changing
TypeDetails
In Dreamdreamt she was flyting with the suspect
Ritual Objects
  • Belt
Religious Motifs
  • Nine

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: Accused of healing woman of falling sickness but that the illness returned after Corsan fell out with her. Quarrels and curses about Marion's debt.

Other Maleficia Notes: She caused an ale barrels to break and a man to swell up.

Property Damage Types
  • Ale

  • Debt

  • Appeasement

NameTitleInvolvementNotes
John Burgess Commissionerrequested
John Crichton of CrawfordtonCommissionerrequested
James Douglas of MawswallCommissionerrequested
Thomas Ferguson of CaitlochCommissionerrequested
Thomas MacBurnie Commissionerrequested
Robert Richardson Commissionerrequested

SourceReferenceNotes
Dumfries Presbytery recordsCH2/1284/1, p. 230.See also A E Truckell 'Unpublished List of Witchcraft Cases in Galloway and Dumfriesshire' ], pp. 7-17. The project did not check Larner's reference to this printed secondary source as part of the research. Entry records inquiry into accusations about healing advice.
Process NotesJC26/13 Bundle A
Trials (1)
Trial RefDateYearVerdictSentenceExecution
T/JO/872 No
Case Notes
Seems to have been investigated in 1650 by the Presbytery of Dumfries where a commission was sought (along with 7 others) and again in 1659.