Sempell,Martha
Case Reference: C/LA/2972
Case Summary
| Case Ref | C/LA/2972 |
|---|---|
| Accused | Martha Sempell |
| Case Start Date | 19/3/1697 |
| Case Date | 19/5/1697 |
| Common Name | Sempell,Martha |
|---|
Characterisation
| Type | Primary | Secondary |
|---|---|---|
| Demonic | — | ✓ |
| Demonic Possession | ✓ | ✓ |
| Fairies | — | ✓ |
| Maleficium | — | ✓ |
| Implicated by Another | — | ✓ |
Notes: Complicated case involving numerous accusations of murdering children through magical strangulation and possession of several children. Much of the evidence was derived from the testimony of children who claimed to be possessed and tormented by witches. But there was great concern over the murdered children and a murdered minister. The record describes the physical torment of the possessed children in great detail. An extraordinary document!
| Devil Present | Yes |
|---|---|
| Communal Sex | No |
| Devil Worship | No |
| Food and Drink | No |
| Dancing | Yes |
| Singing | No |
Notes: see Agnes Naismith (c/egd/1773) for details
Meeting Places
| Place | Location | Inversion |
|---|---|---|
| kilpatrick | No | |
| Yard | christian Shaw's | No |
| Yard | murdered minsiter, mr John Hardie | No |
| House | murdered boy's | No |
| Moor | kilmacolme | No |
| Type | Text |
|---|---|
| Devil's Mark |
Devil Appearances
| Type | Text |
|---|---|
| Male | black shawl and hood |
| Male | black mane, black coat, blue cravat |
| Female | Antiochia, gentle wife to the devil |
| Elphane/Fairyland | ✓ |
|---|---|
| Food/Drink | — |
| Verbal Formulae | — |
| Ritual Acts | ✓ |
| Familiars | — |
| Shape Changing | — |
|---|---|
| Dreams/Visions | — |
| Unorthodox Religious Practice | — |
| Sympathetic Magic | ✓ |
| Riding Dead | — |
Notes: Alleged use of image magic and wax images to murder children and adults. Also to enact possessions.
Elf/Fairy Elements
- 12:00
Ritual Objects
- Wax/clay images
- Bone
- Hair
- Blood (animal)
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 | — |
| Type | Text |
|---|---|
| Pipe | the devil played it |
- Murder
| Name | Title | Involvement | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| John Houston | Sir of that Ilk | Commissioner | |
| John Kincaid | Mr of Carsbusket | Commissioner | |
| John Maxwell | Sir of Nether Pollok | Commissioner | |
| Francis Montgomery | Mr of Giffuie | Commissioner | |
| William Muir | of Glanderston | Commissioner | |
| Robert Sempill | Commissioner | ||
| John Shaw | Sir of Greenock | Commissioner | |
| Alexander Stewart | Lord Blantyre | Commissioner | |
| John Stewart | Mr of Blackhall | Commissioner |
| Source | Reference | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Circuit Court Books | JC10/4 fos. 1r-81r second pagination | |
| Privy Council | PC1/51 p. 136-9 |
Trials (1)
| Trial Ref | Date | Year | Verdict | Sentence | Execution |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| T/LA/1213 | 13/4/1697 | 1697 | No |
Case Notes
part of the Renfrewshire cases, her trial was continued but no information about what happened.