Laying,Helen
Case Reference: C/EGD/692
Case Summary
| Case Ref | C/EGD/692 |
|---|---|
| Accused | Helen Laying |
| Case Start Date | 13/9/1678 |
| Case Date | 20/9/1678 |
| Age at Case | 32 |
| Common Name | Laying,Helen |
|---|
Characterization
| Type | Primary | Secondary |
|---|---|---|
| Demonic | — | ✓ |
| 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: Devil's meetings described by Margaret Dods, Helen confessed to meeting the devil in her yard and as ward burnes. She denied bringing anyone else to meetings.
Meeting Places
| Place | Location | Inversion |
|---|---|---|
| Burn | Murrais Burne | No |
| Burn | ward burn | No |
| Yard | own yard | No |
| Field | black faugh | No |
Denies having a new name, denies sex with the devil, denies that she did anything wrong. She was obviously questioned about these things!
| Type | Text |
|---|---|
| Anti-baptism |
Devil Appearances
| Type | Text |
|---|---|
| Male | Black Man in black clothes |
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). Accused of killing her husband, William Laying. She denies being guily of any malefice.
| Type | Text |
|---|---|
| Pipe |
| Name | Title | Involvement | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| John Adamson | Investigator | ||
| William Baillie | of Lamington | witness to execution | |
| John Belshes | of that Ilk | witness to execution | |
| William Borthwick | of Johnstonburn | witness to execution | |
| James Cairntoun | Investigator | ||
| James Calderwood | Mr | witness to execution | |
| David Chalmer | Investigator | ||
| William Cockburn | Investigator | ||
| James Cockburn | Mr | witness to execution | |
| Adam Cockburn | of Ormiston | witness to execution | |
| Robert Cockburn | Mr | witness to execution | |
| George Cockburn | Mr of Ormiston | witness to execution | |
| William Cuningham | the younger of Enterkin | witness to execution | |
| James Grierson | Mr | witness to execution | |
| George Halliday | Investigator | ||
| David Hepburn | of Randerston | witness to execution | |
| Robert Hepburn | Sir of Keith | Investigator | ordered to oversee the execution |
| John Ker | Windymane | Investigator | |
| James Liddell | Investigator | ||
| George Moodie | Mr | witness to execution | |
| John Pringle | of Woodhead | ordered to oversee the execution | |
| John Sinclair | Mr | Investigator | witness to execution |
| Robert Spottiswoode | Mr | witness to execution |
| Source | Reference | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Books of Adjournal | JC2/15 ff. 17v-19v | |
| RPC | 3rd series, vol 6, pp 627-629. | Record of warrant for execution and also the financial accounts of the legal process and execution. |
| Process Notes | JC26/49 | assize verdict |
| Process Notes | JC26/49 'peaston witches' |