Dougall,John

Case Reference: C/EGD/745

Case Summary
Case RefC/EGD/745
AccusedJohn Dougall
Case Start Date3/6/1695
Case Date12/3/1700
Age at Case53
Common NameDougall,John
Characterization
TypePrimarySecondary
Unorthodox Religious Practice
Demonic Possession
Folk Healing
Maleficium

Notes: Was indicted with others accused of tormenting children. But he seems to be a straightforward failed healer who got caught up in the 1699 prosecutions.

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

Notes: Used hair as a charm to cure. The objects were used to heal. Used rowan tree belt wrapped nine times to cure ?frigidity. Used nail clippings, eye brow hair and hairs from the crown of the head and half a penny wrapped in cloth. Told witness to sow some milk in with his corn on Beltane day. Told another man to boil a stirck (young cow) and burn the rest of the bones to ashes and then bury them. Dougall said this would cure the sturdie (scrappie) disease in his beasts.

Ritual Objects
  • Milk
  • Money
  • Nail trimmings
  • Tree
  • Cloth
  • Hair
  • Belt
Religious Motifs
  • Nine
  • Nine

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: He was noted as unsuccessful at healing a girl, seemed to be better at healing animals. Used charms to heal frigidity and convulsions. Hair, money and nails were left so whoever found them would get the disease and remove it from the first person.

Other Maleficia Notes: Claimed he had taught a man how to get part of another man's fishing.

Property Damage Types
  • Fishing

  • Beltane

  • Charming

NameTitleInvolvementNotes
Thomas Blackwell MrInvestigatorinformed local sheriff about Dougall.
James Brisbane MrInvestigator
John Stirling MrInvestigator
Andrew Turner MrInvestigator

SourceReferenceNotes
Books of AdjournalJC3/1 f. 89
Paisley Presbytery recordsCH2/294/4.Pagination not in sequence, use dates. Also J. Murray, KILMALCOLM (Paisley, 1907) p. 110.
Circuit Court BooksJC10/4 part 3
Process NotesJC26/81 f. 9dittay dated 21/4/1699
Trials (1)
Trial RefDateYearVerdictSentenceExecution
T/LA/1234 12/3/17001700 Released No
Case Notes
He was accused with others who were denounced by tormented girls, but he appears to have been a healer (called a charmer in the record). Connected with the Margaret Murdoch cases.