Fean,John
Case Reference: C/EGD/59
| Case Ref | C/EGD/59 |
|---|---|
| Accused | John Fean |
| Case Start Date | |
| Case Date | 26/12/1590 |
| Common Name | Fean,John |
|---|
| Type | Primary | Secondary |
|---|---|---|
| Unorthodox Religious Practice | — | ✓ |
| Demonic | ✓ | ✓ |
| Maleficium | — | ✓ |
| Neighbourhood Dispute | — | ✓ |
| Political Motive | — | ✓ |
| Treason | — | ✓ |
| White Magic | — | ✓ |
| Devil Present | Yes |
|---|---|
| Communal Sex | No |
| Devil Worship | Yes |
| Food and Drink | Yes |
| Dancing | Yes |
| Singing | Yes |
Notes: He confessed to be carried along the water. Satan stood as in a pulpit and preached sermons, some of which is quoted in the trial text. They kissed the Devil's behind. The Devil carried him across the see to the Queen's ship. They travelled to a ship where they drank good wine and ale then went home. He sat on the left side of the Devil and was lead about widdershins then kissed is arse. Satan told them to collect all the cats, he was seen chasing cats. Accused of dismembering unbaptised babies. Supposedly a blue flame at the meeting. See Agnes Sampson for a description fo the North Berwick kirk witches' meeting (c/egd/63). See also Napier (c/egd/103) for more detials about the North Berwick meeting.
Meeting Places
| Place | Location | Inversion |
|---|---|---|
| Kirk | North Berwick kirk | Yes |
| Ship | A ship off the coast of the pannes | No |
| Hilltop | Brumhoillis | No |
The Devil appeared to him so he could get revenge on a guy for broken promises. He claimed to have agreed to join the Devil for revenge. He got the Devil's mark in bed, the devil struck him with a rod, he was then in 'grit extasies and transis', he was carried around to mountains.
| Type | Text |
|---|---|
| Servant | |
| Want nothing | |
| Devil's Mark | Marked with a rod. |
Devil Appearances
| Type | Text |
|---|---|
| Male | In quhyte rayment |
| Male | a black man |
| Elphane/Fairyland | — |
|---|---|
| Food/Drink | — |
| Verbal Formulae | ✓ |
| Ritual Acts | ✓ |
| Familiars | — |
| Shape Changing | — |
|---|---|
| Dreams/Visions | — |
| Unorthodox Religious Practice | ✓ |
| Sympathetic Magic | ✓ |
| Riding Dead | — |
Notes: Use of cats to raise winds to sink ships. They took an object that looked like a fute-ball and cast it in the see to raise 'ane vapour and ane reik' to send the King's ship off. He blew on a woman's hand to open a lock. He lit a horse with candles, a magical thing. He carried the mole's feet around as a talisman so that he wouldn't lack silver. He walked withershins. He could predict the future of when and how people would die if he knew their birth day. Night flying. Newes From Scotland, describes a foiled love magic attempt.
Ritual Objects
- Cat
- Corpse
- Mole's feet
Religious Motifs
- Eschatology
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 | — |
Other Maleficia Notes: The Devil persuaded him to burn down a house in revenge for not keeping a promise.
Property Damage Types
- Buildings
- Boats
- Crops
- Animals
Weather Modification Types
- Wind
- Whirlwind
White Magic
- Opening Lock
- Astrology
- Love magic
- Revenge
- Halloween
- Enchantment
- Sorcery
| Source | Reference | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Pitcairn | v I, part ii, page 209-223 | his trial, a combo of High Court books of adjournal (JC2/2) and exerpt from Newes from Scotland. |
| Books of Adjournal | JC2/2 fo. 195r-197r | His trial |
| Pitcairn | v I, part II, page 230-241 | same text as JC2/2 |
| Books of Adjournal | JC2/2 fos. 201r-207r | |
| Pitcairn | v I, part II, page 246 | |
| Calendar of State Papers Relating to Scotland | v. 10, p. 463 | he is mentioned in a sceptical letter as having been executed |
| Process Notes | JC26/2 | mentioned |