Ross,Katherene
Case Reference: C/EGD/39
Case Summary
| Case Ref | C/EGD/39 |
|---|---|
| Accused | Katherene Ross |
| Case Start Date | 25/10/1577 |
| Case Date | 22/7/1590 |
| Common Name | Ross,Katherene |
|---|
Characterisation
| Type | Primary | Secondary |
|---|---|---|
| Consulting | — | ✓ |
| Fairies | — | ✓ |
| Maleficium | — | ✓ |
| Political Motive | — | ✓ |
| Property Motive | ✓ | ✓ |
Notes: Her stepsonHector wanted her terce. She was accused of wanting to dispose of heirs. She was accused of using poisoned drinks. And of sending a servant to the Egyptians for poison.
| Elphane/Fairyland | ✓ |
|---|---|
| Food/Drink | — |
| Verbal Formulae | — |
| Ritual Acts | ✓ |
| Familiars | — |
| Shape Changing | — |
|---|---|
| Dreams/Visions | — |
| Unorthodox Religious Practice | — |
| Sympathetic Magic | ✓ |
| Riding Dead | — |
Notes: Accused of sending a man to the Egyptians for poison. Made a picture of her victim out of butter.
Elf/Fairy Elements
- Elfshot
Ritual Objects
- Elfshot
- Wax/clay images
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 killing two heirs. Accused of repeatedly trying to kill rival members of her family especially with poison, wax images, etc.
- Halloween
- Easter
- Murder
- Incantation
- Poisoning
- Sorcery
| Name | Title | Involvement | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alexander Bain | Commissioner | ||
| William Cuthbert | Commissioner | ||
| James Glass | Commissioner | ||
| Angus MacIntosh | Commissioner | ||
| John MacKenzie | Commissioner | ||
| Colin MacKenzie | of Kintail | Commissioner | |
| Rory McKenzie | Commissioner | ||
| Hector Munro | Mr of Foulis | Investigator | |
| Robert Munro | of Fowlis | Commissioner | in 1577 |
| Walter Urquhart | Commissioner | in 1577 |
| Source | Reference | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| RPC | v4 p. 392-393 | |
| Exchequer Rolls | Vol XX, p 522. | Reference supplied by Alexander Sutherland, Aberdeen University. |
| RPC | v4, p. 404-5; 431; 433-4 | Cautions for Hector Munro of Fowlis - moving her to tolbooth in Edinburgh, and paying her upkeep; caution against Mr. Hector Munro that he won't harm her or her servants; Munro wanted the previous caution dropped because he can't pay her maintenance without recourse to her rents. |
| Books of Adjournal | JC2/2 f. 153 | Also in the High Court Record Index, no. 1 on 22/7/1590. |
| Pitcairn | v I, part ii, page 185 | |
| Books of Adjournal | JC2/2 fos. 169v-175r | |
| Pitcairn | v I, part ii, page 191-201 | same text as JC2/2 |
| High Court Minute Books | JC6/3 | no pagination - 23/6/1590, and 22/7/1590 - similar narration of events to other documents, difficult to read! Her case in the minute books is roughly 7 folios long. |
Trials (3)
Case Notes
Hector wanted her terce. A good description of family connections, etc. in Pitcairn, vol 1, part ii, page 191. She fled to Caithness when all her accomplices were tried and convicted.