Ratter,Elizabeth

Case Reference: C/JO/3012

Case Summary
Case RefC/JO/3012
AccusedElizabeth Ratter
Case Start Date9/6/1708
Case Date9/6/1708
Common NameRatter,Elizabeth
Characterization
TypePrimarySecondary
Folk Healing
Maleficium
Neighbourhood Dispute
Refused Charity

Notes: Accused appears to have been refused alms but also consulted for healing advice. The whole family appear to have been unpopular and asking for charity.

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

Notes: Accused appears to have advised a man to go to Sandness church, and sit in the dark and smoke some tobacco and he would be cured of a sickness, which he claimed had been caused by being given a banock by one of the Ratter sisters.

Ritual Objects
  • Bannock
  • Tobacco

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: She had asked for some corn, which was refused, Told the person that she had got corn from her neighbour the previous year and the neighbour had a very good crop. Implied threat to the crop.

Property Damage Types
  • Crops

  • Refusal of alms

NameTitleInvolvementNotes
George Duncan MrInvestigator
John Mitchell Mrcase referred to Mitchell

SourceReferenceNotes
Shetland Presbytery recordsCH2/1071/1, p 152.
Trials (1)
Trial RefDateYearVerdictSentenceExecution
T/JO/1277 No