Fergussone,Issobell
Case Reference: C/EGD/381
| Case Ref | C/EGD/381 |
|---|---|
| Accused | Issobell Fergussone |
| Case Start Date | 3/7/1661 |
| Case Date | 3/8/1661 |
| Age at Case | 71 |
| Common Name | Fergussone,Issobell |
|---|
| Type | Primary | Secondary |
|---|---|---|
| Demonic | ✓ | ✓ |
| Maleficium | — | ✓ |
| Midwifery | — | ✓ |
Notes: I think that under questioning, etc. she retold an fornication or adultery episode as a meeting with the Devil. The accusations made to the KS include verbal threats against her neighbours and her own son.
| Devil Present | Yes |
|---|---|
| Communal Sex | No |
| Devil Worship | No |
| Food and Drink | No |
| Dancing | Yes |
| Singing | No |
Meeting Places
| Place | Location | Inversion |
|---|---|---|
| Shore | near the bridge at the bank of John Ballingtyne's | No |
| Yard | at her farm | No |
| Road | between Skloutford and nether Liberton | No |
| House | either her's or William Tweedie's | No |
William Twedie, the Devil, gave her a pair of black gloves. She denied that Devil laid with her. There were two William Tweedies, her landlord and his evil half brother. Some confusion, she confessed to having an affair with the half brother who fled to 'Irland' this person was always present when the met the Devil and the Devil didn't appear after he had left. I he morphed into the Devil for her.
| Type | Text |
|---|---|
| Anti-baptism | |
| Devil's Mark | |
| New name | |
| sex | |
| Servant |
Devil Appearances
| Type | Text |
|---|---|
| Male | a man named William Twedie |
| Male | black man |
| Male | little black man |
| Fairy | in a black gown |
| Animal Devil | rat |
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: Seems to have threatened her neighbours. Told them they would be poor, their horse took ill and they were reduced to poverty. Also angry about her son and told his wife he would have a bad homecoming. On his return he took ill and died.
Property Damage Types
- Animals
- Grudge
- Whitsunday
- Fornication
- Adultery
| Name | Title | Involvement | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| George Johnston | Mr | Investigator | |
| John Kincaid | Witch-pricker | ||
| John Ramsay | Witch-pricker |
| Source | Reference | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Books of Adjournal | JC2/11; JC2/10 fo. 10v-17v | JC2/11 and JC2/10 were exactly the same text! Except the sederunt in JC2/10 doesn't say that the trial happened in Dalkeith. Also found in the High Court Record Index, no. 1 for 3/8/1661, this index did not distinguish between circuit and high court cases. This list of names was added in the margins with a modern hand, no indication of where the person got the list. |
| Newbattle Kirk Session records | CH2/276/4, pp 48-50. | Investigation of some complaints about IF. |
| High Court Process Notes | JC26/27/9 item 4 and item 5 | draft of JC2 trial item 5 is a continuation of item 4 |
| High Court Process Notes | JC26/27/9 item 17 | |
| High Court Process Notes | JC26/27/9 item 18 | lots of information! |
| High Court Process Notes | JC26/27/9 item 20 | witnesses, bad handwriting, mostly repeat of information in other documents. Seems to be a draft of the Books of Adjournal text. |
| Trial Ref | Date | Year | Verdict | Sentence | Execution |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| T/LA/298 | 3/8/1661 | 1661 | Guilty | Execution | Yes |