Pierson,Alesoun
Case Reference: C/EGD/34
| Case Ref | C/EGD/34 |
|---|---|
| Accused | Alesoun Pierson |
| Case Start Date | 28/5/1559 |
| Case Date | 28/5/1588 |
| Age at Case | 41 |
| Common Name | Pierson,Alesoun |
|---|
| Type | Primary | Secondary |
|---|---|---|
| Fairies | ✓ | ✓ |
| Folk Healing | — | ✓ |
| Maleficium | — | ✓ |
Notes: There is talk of healing but the main just seems to be the fairies and the mysterious Mr. William Sympson, who was either a fairy or some other kind of healer/teacher figure. Can't tell if he was a real person or not, but I made a record for him (c/la/2894). Maleficium ticked as it was said the Archbishop of St Andrews had died after she gave him the herbal tea - so it may have been failed healing rather than deliberate malefice. Although she made a pact it was with fairies therefore we did not tick demonic as a secondary since it was not clear that it was a straightforward demonic relationship.
A man came to her when she was sick and she promised to be faithful in order to get help from him. She was not allowed to speak about it or they would go away and she would go to hell. Described the fairies giving her a mark that felt no pain.
| Type | Text |
|---|---|
| Want nothing |
Devil Appearances
| Type | Text |
|---|---|
| Female Fairy | Queen of Elphane |
| Male Fairy | man in Green clothes |
| Elphane/Fairyland | ✓ |
|---|---|
| Food/Drink | — |
| Verbal Formulae | — |
| Ritual Acts | — |
| Familiars | — |
| Shape Changing | — |
|---|---|
| Dreams/Visions | — |
| Unorthodox Religious Practice | — |
| Sympathetic Magic | — |
| Riding Dead | — |
Notes: She was cured by this Mr. William sympson 'the witch', Mr. Sympson made a statement about all the illnesses of the Archbishop of St. Andrews. Said she had friends in the court of the fairies who were blood relations. She couldn't recall how long she had spent with the fairies. The good neighbours hold her under God. She claimed to go to St. Andrews to heal people.
Elf/Fairy Elements
- Queen of Fairy
- Group of fairies
- Good Neighbours
- Green
Ritual Objects
- Herb
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: She was to make a salve and rub it on the Archbishop of St. Andrews. She mixed herbs in a tea, the bishop drank it and died. Her cousin cured her when the power was taken from her hand and foot. She saw the good neighbours make their salves with fire.
| Type | Text |
|---|---|
| Pipe |
- Sorcery
- Incantation
| Source | Reference | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Books of Adjournal | JC2/2 fo. 104v-105v | |
| Pitcairn | v I, part ii, page 161-164 | Same text as JC2/2, also in the High Court Record Index, no. 1 for 28/5/1588. |
| Trial Ref | Date | Year | Verdict | Sentence | Execution |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| T/LA/869 | 28/5/1588 | 1588 | No |