Boyman,Janet

Case Reference: C/EGD/28

Case Summary
Case RefC/EGD/28
AccusedJanet Boyman
Case Start Date29/12/1570
Case Date29/12/1572
Common NameBoyman,Janet
Characterisation
TypePrimarySecondary
Unorthodox Religious Practice — ✓
Fairies — ✓
Folk Healing ✓ ✓
Treason — ✓

Notes: She predicted the death of the regent.

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

Notes: Used shirt for diagnosis. Brought the shirt to an elvish well. She charged the spirit in the name of the father, the son, king Arthur and queen Elspeth to remove the illness or take the sick man to them. She couldn't do a cure because it was past Halloween. Predicted the death of an infant because she got a blast of evil wind. She learned her curing from a woman in the Potterrow who had once cured her. She started her prayer with 'Blist Benedicite'. After she washed her hands at a holy well, St. Leonards, there came to her a man of our good neighbours. Predicted that the Regent would die. She bore five bairns while subject to the fairy for seven years and felt no pain.

Elf/Fairy Elements
  • Changeling
  • Well
  • Good Neighbours
Ritual Objects
  • Shirt
  • Herb
  • Water
Religious Motifs
  • Trinity
  • Prayer
  • Holy well

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: Could heal children that were taken away with the fairy (?changelings) and many other diseases.

  • Halloween

  • Charming
  • Sorcery
  • Necromancy
  • Incantation

SourceReferenceNotes
Process NotesJC26/1/67
High Court Record Index No. 129/12/1570
Witchcraft PapersJC40/1
Trials (1)
Trial RefDateYearVerdictSentenceExecution
T/LA/1729 29/12/15721572 GuiltyExecution No