Eliot,Isobell
Case Reference: C/EGD/691
| Case Ref | C/EGD/691 |
|---|---|
| Accused | Isobell Eliot |
| Case Start Date | 13/9/1678 |
| Case Date | 20/9/1678 |
| Age at Case | 27 |
| Common Name | Eliot,Isobell |
|---|
| Type | Primary | Secondary |
|---|---|---|
| Demonic | — | ✓ |
| Fairies | — | ✓ |
| Maleficium | — | ✓ |
| Implicated by Another | — | ✓ |
| Not Enough Info | ✓ | ✓ |
| Devil Present | Yes |
|---|---|
| Communal Sex | No |
| Devil Worship | No |
| Food and Drink | No |
| Dancing | No |
| Singing | No |
Notes: Lots of witches and a flaming fire 'Devil gave them a kind of sacrament and preached among them and blasphemed God'.
Meeting Places
| Place | Location | Inversion |
|---|---|---|
| House | Helen Laying's (c/egd/692) | No |
| flaming fire in Crighton | Yes |
First he kissed her, he didn't lay with her immediately because she was pregnant. He lay with her after she was kirked (i.e. lying in period). He rebaptised her and three others by a 'waff' of his hand across their faces. Helen Laying and the Devil laid hands on her for the renunciation of her baptism.
| Type | Text |
|---|---|
| Anti-baptism | |
| New name | Jean |
| Sex | |
| Head and foot |
Devil Appearances
| Type | Text |
|---|---|
| Male |
| Elphane/Fairyland | ✓ |
|---|---|
| Food/Drink | — |
| Verbal Formulae | — |
| Ritual Acts | — |
| Familiars | — |
| Shape Changing | ✓ |
|---|---|
| Dreams/Visions | — |
| Unorthodox Religious Practice | — |
| Sympathetic Magic | — |
| Riding Dead | — |
Notes: While in the shape of bees she and Marion Veitch carried the poison used to kill Veitch's grandson in their 'cleuchis, wings and mouth'. She claimed that Helen Laying (her master) kept her from church and had her carry water from a well instead.
Elf/Fairy Elements
- Well
Shape Changing
| Type | Details |
|---|---|
| Insect | Bummie Bee |
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 the daughter of Katharine Halyday (c/edg/619). Helped Kill the grandson of Marion Veitch (c/egd/694).
| Name | Title | Involvement | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| William Baillie | of Lamington | witnessed execution | |
| John Belshes | of that Ilk | witnessed execution | |
| William Borthwick | of Johnstonburn | witnessed execution | |
| James Calderwood | Mr | Investigator | witnessed execution |
| George Cockburn | Mr of Ormiston | witnessed execution | |
| James Cockburn | Mr | Investigator | witnessed execution |
| Adam Cockburn | of Ormiston | witnessed execution | |
| Robert Cockburn | Mr | witnessed execution | |
| William Cuningham | the younger of Enterkin | witnessed execution | |
| James Grierson | Mr | witnessed execution | |
| David Hepburn | of Randerston | witnessed execution | |
| Robert Hepburn | Sir of Keith | Investigator | ordered to oversee execution |
| John Makmath | Mr | Investigator | |
| George Moodie | Mr | Investigator | witnessed execution |
| John Pringle | of Woodhead | Investigator | ordered to oversee execution |
| John Sinclair | Mr | witnessed execution | |
| Robert Spottiswoode | Mr | witnessed execution |
| Source | Reference | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Books of Adjournal | JC2/15 ff. 17v-19v | |
| RPC | 3rd series, vol 6, pp. 627-9 | Records the verdict and the carrying out of the execution. Costs of burning and legal process also itemised. |
| Process Notes | JC26/49 | assize notes |
| Process Notes | JC26/49, 'peaston witches' items 1, 2, 4, 5 | case details |