Alexander,Magaret
Case Reference: C/JO/2882
| Case Ref | C/JO/2882 |
|---|---|
| Accused | Magaret Alexander |
| Case Start Date | 12/3/1647 |
| Case Date | 22/4/1647 |
| Age at Case | 55 |
| Common Name | Alexander,Magaret |
|---|
| Type | Primary | Secondary |
|---|---|---|
| Unorthodox Religious Practice | — | ✓ |
| Demonic | — | ✓ |
| Fairies | ✓ | ✓ |
| Folk Healing | — | ✓ |
| Maleficium | — | ✓ |
| Implicated by Another | — | ✓ |
Notes: Although the Devil was not mentioned specifically it seems that the descriptions of fairies indicated demonic involvement. The king of fairies seemed to = the Devil.
| Devil Present | Yes |
|---|---|
| Communal Sex | Yes |
| Devil Worship | No |
| Food and Drink | Yes |
| Dancing | No |
| Singing | No |
Notes: A number of cats came to her house which turned into men and women. Also went with a group of male and female fairies and one man had sex with her and another woman.
Meeting Places
| Place | Location | Inversion |
|---|---|---|
| House | own house | No |
| Bridge | Lintoun Bridge | No |
Mentioned that man in black clothes made her go forward and was at meetings with them all. She also referred to one man being the king of fairies who lay with her. She was asked if his nature was hot or cold to which she replied that it was cold. Told minister that she renounced her baptism to the king of fairies.
| Type | Text |
|---|---|
| Anti-baptism | |
| Devil's Mark | on mouth |
Devil Appearances
| Type | Text |
|---|---|
| Male | black clothing |
| Female Fairy | |
| Male Fairy |
| Elphane/Fairyland | — |
|---|---|
| Food/Drink | — |
| Verbal Formulae | ✓ |
| Ritual Acts | ✓ |
| Familiars | — |
| Shape Changing | ✓ |
|---|---|
| Dreams/Visions | — |
| Unorthodox Religious Practice | ✓ |
| Sympathetic Magic | ✓ |
| Riding Dead | — |
Notes: Used water from St Mungo's well to heal her father and spoke verse/charm.
Elf/Fairy Elements
- King of Fairy
- Group of fairies
Shape Changing
| Type | Details |
|---|---|
| Animal | cats |
Ritual Objects
- Water
Religious Motifs
- Pilgrimage
- Holy well
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: Confessed she and others had caused death of Mr James Ross and one of his children. This may have been the James Ross who was minister at Livingston and who died in 1641.
Weather Modification Types
| Name | Title | Involvement | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thomas Clarkson | Elder | heard her confession | |
| John Hardie | Elder | heard her confession | |
| John Lothian | Mr | Minister | heard her confession |
| Walter Murray | Sir | involved in trial but no official permission | |
| Thomas Scritoun | Elder | heard her confession |
| Source | Reference | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Livingston Kirk Session records | CH2/467/1, pp 76-83. | Entries record her confession to minister. There seems to have been no 'official' trial but she was executed in some way. Entry records that there was some discussion about her being either burnt or buried. This reference was received from Chantal Hamill, Linlithgow. |
| Trial Ref | Date | Year | Verdict | Sentence | Execution |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| T/JO/796 | Yes |