Adam,Isobel
Case Reference: C/EGD/2444
Case Summary
| Case Ref | C/EGD/2444 |
|---|---|
| Accused | Isobel Adam |
| Case Start Date | 14/6/1704 |
| Case Date | 6/4/1709 |
| Common Name | Adam,Isobel |
|---|
Characterization
| Type | Primary | Secondary |
|---|---|---|
| Demonic | — | ✓ |
| Demonic Possession | — | ✓ |
| Maleficium | — | ✓ |
| Not Enough Info | ✓ | ✓ |
| Devil Present | Yes |
|---|---|
| Communal Sex | No |
| Devil Worship | No |
| Food and Drink | No |
| Dancing | No |
| Singing | No |
Notes: Said she met the devil and named others who had attended.
Meeting Places
| Place | Location | Inversion |
|---|---|---|
| House | McGregor's house | No |
She later denied her confessions. She seems to have answered yes to questions put to her.
| Type | Text |
|---|---|
| Anti-baptism | |
| Paction |
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 causing a lad to take fits.
| Name | Title | Involvement | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| John Anderson | Mr | Investigator | |
| William Bell | Investigator | ||
| Andrew Burn | Mr | Investigator | |
| James Chalmers | Mr of Radernie | Investigator | |
| Robert Cleland | Mr | Investigator | |
| Patrick Cooper | Mr | Minister | |
| Duddingston | Investigator | ||
| Giblistoun | Laird of | Investigator | |
| James Hadow | Mr | Investigator | |
| William Hardie | Mr | Investigator | |
| Lundine | Investigator |
| Source | Reference | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Privy Council | PC1/53 p. 247-9 | See also Webster, David 'Collections of Rare and Curious Tracts on Witchcraft and Second Sight' (Edinburgh, 1820), pp. 83, 90-1. The project did not check Larner's reference to this printed secondary source as part of the research. |
| Edinburgh Presbytery records | CH2/121/7, p 31, 55, 125 | Note in presbytery that she had admitted fornication and that she had been imprisoned in Pittenweem for the crime of witchcraft. Presbytery wrote to minister at Pittenweem who replied that she had confessed to pact etc and then denied her confession. Edinburgh presbytery decided that she could not be allowed to make public repentance for fornication and was ordered to return to Pittenweem. She was to appear there on 29/12/1708. |
| St Andrews Presbytery records | CH2/1132/ 1699-1705, p 294-6. | The presbytery volume has no NAS catalogue number yet. |
Trials (1)
| Trial Ref | Date | Year | Verdict | Sentence | Execution |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| T/JO/592 | No |
Case Notes
This is another possession case. A group of seven people were charged with causing the tormenting of Patrick Morton, the sixteen year old son of a smith in Pittenweem. The town officials cited the precedent of 'Bargarran's daughter in the west' when applying for a commission for trial. The Privy Council appointed Her Majesty's Advocate, Sir James Stewart to prosecute the cases and the Privy Council said they would pay for it from the treasury.