Cock,Janet

Case Reference: C/EGD/409

Case Summary
Case RefC/EGD/409
AccusedJanet Cock
Case Start Date11/6/1661
Case Date26/11/1661
Age at Case49
Common NameCock,Janet
Characterization
TypePrimarySecondary
Demonic — ✓
Folk Healing — ✓
Maleficium — ✓
Implicated by Another — ✓
Neighbourhood Dispute ✓ ✓

Notes: She was a party to several healing attempts that transferred the disease on to a child and a dog. She was not the main person, but an assistant. In second trial she appears more of a healer, turning up when people were ill (or bewitched by a different witch) and offering a diagnosis and cure. Neighbourhood dispute is the dominant trend. 2 violent altercations between Janet and her accusers are described in the 2nd trial.

Devil PresentYes
Communal SexNo
Devil WorshipNo
Food and DrinkNo
DancingNo
SingingNo
Meeting Places
PlaceLocationInversion
DamNewtoun DeamNo

Devil went away from her in whirl of wind.

TypeText
Devil's Mark
Servant
Devil Appearances
TypeText
Maleill favoured black man
MaleBlack clothes

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

Notes: After a horse fell ill, 'a country man' said that if they put the horses' shoes in a red hot fire and took them out, the bewitcher would appear if it was witchcraft, then Janet Cock showed up without a pretext. When Janet Cock appeared above a new mother and her child, the new mother said 'the spirit of grace be in this house' and the witches and devil disappeared.

Shape Changing
TypeDetails
Apparitionbedside and bedfoot many times
Apparitionwhen people were injured
Ritual Objects
  • Thread
  • Oil
  • Egg
  • Garlic
  • Aqua Vitae

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: Tried to steal a new baby while mother was lying in. Helped another witch transfer a disease from a child to a dog. Left a dish of blood and the dog was found decapitated. Her curses included: 'O! thame that called me a witch' and 'what rakis robin'

Other Maleficia Notes: In second trial, she was described as a 'skilled woman' in relation to healing and diagnosis of disease. Diagnosed with 'gripping' and prescribed cures. She cured a cold and colic using 'black wool', garlic and aqua vitae, and forbade prayer.

Property Damage Types
  • Animals
  • Whole Estate
Weather Modification Types
  • Whirlwind

  • Revenge for being called a witch
  • Failed business interaction
  • Taunting
  • Physical insult

  • Sorcery
  • Charming

  • Appeasement
  • Counter-magic
  • Prayer

Claimed Bewitched—
Claimed Possessed—
Admitted Lesser Charge—
Claimed Natural Causes✓
No Defence—

NameTitleInvolvementNotes
John Barrowman Clerk? Clerk sent from Edinburgh to Dalkeith for the trial
Alexander Calderwood Investigator
William Calderwood MrInvestigator
William Scott Investigatoralso asked to execute her sentence

SourceReferenceNotes
Books of AdjournalJC2/11; JC2/10 fo. 17vorder for warding in tolbooth of Edinburgh
Books of AdjournalJC2/11, JC2/10 fo. 27r; JC2/11, JC2/10 fo. 29v (same as JC26/27/5 item 1)order for trial to take place on 27/8. A second order for her trial to take place on 10/9/ 1661.
Books of AdjournalJC2/11; JC2/10 fos. 34r-41rFirst trial she was not guilty. JC2/11 and JC2/10 have the same text. Also found in the High Court Record Index, no. 1 for 27/8/1661
Books of AdjournalJC2/11; JC2/10 fos. 43v-49rSecond trial
RPC3rd S, v1 p. 49
High Court Process NotesJC26/27/2 item 1 and item 2Bundle labelled 'Musselburgh Witches', a partial draft copy of JC2/11; and JC2/10 fos. 43v-49r. The order is wrong, Item 2 (has defence arguments and witness statements for articles 1-4), item 1 (has witness statements for articles 5-11 and assize result). Together they are defence arguments, witness statements, a signed version of the assize result and a signed statement from William Scot, Bailie of Dalkeith about her execution.
High Court Process NotesJC26/27/9 item 5Note saying the William Scot is to take her to Edinburgh.
High Court Process NotesJC26/27 'margaret Hutchison'misfiled list of people to appear at court for her trial.
High Court Process NotesJC26/27/3 item 1trial warrant
High Court Process NotesJC26/27/3 item 2, 3, and 6list of assize members for both trials. (2 and 6 for trial one, and item 3 for trial two).
High Court Process NotesJC26/27/3 item 4, 5, 8list of witnesses for her second trial
High Court Process NotesJC26/27/3 item 7, 20Defence witnesses for trial one, and prosecution witnesses for trial one.
High Court Process NotesJC26/27/3 item 9Witness testimony trial two (Item 10x is a fragment of a draft of the same thing)
High Court Process NotesJC26/27/3 item 11dittay for the second trial
High Court Process NotesJC26/27/3 item 12, 15Draft dittay dated 18/7/1661. Item 12 is the draft
High Court Process NotesJC26/27/3 item 13witness deposition
High Court Process NotesJC26/27/3 item 14Prior complaint, not witchcraft related. Transcript from the kirk session.
High Court Process NotesJC26/27/3 item 16, and 21Assize notes, item 16 goes with trial two and item 21 was for trial one.
High Court Process NotesJC26/27/3 item 17order for liberty, never acted on.
High Court Process NotesJC26/27/3 item 18request for release from prison
High Court Process NotesJC26/27/3 item 19Book of Adjournal draft notes for second trial.
High Court Process NotesJC26/27/9 item 20text of complaint from daughters
High Court Process NotesJC26/27/3 items 22 (1-3)draft notes for the Books of Adjournal for her first trial.
Trials (2)
Trial RefDateYearVerdictSentenceExecution
T/LA/302 10/9/16611661 Not Guilty No
T/LA/325 11/11/16611661 GuiltyExecution Yes
Case Notes
First trial she was acquitted, second trial convicted. The make up of the assize in first trial was 7 from Edinburgh, 1 from Canongate, 7 from Dalkeith. For the second trial it was 6 from Edinburgh, 1 from Canongate, 8 from Dalkieth - giving the Dalkeithers a swing vote. The first chancellor was from Edinburgh, the second from Dalkeith. Someone wanted her to be found guilty and changed the jury by just one person.