The Aberdeen Witch Panic of 1596/7

During the years 1596-1597, there were a number of women and men accused of witchcraft in Aberdeen.  One of them was Isabel Strathanchyn or Scudder.  She faced a number of charges against her, and the image above highlights just one of them.

List of 2nd lot of charges against Isabel Strathanchyn

List of 4th lot of charges against Isabel Strathanchyn

Along with creating a love potion, she is also accused of breaking the wheels of a mill in revenge after the miller had refused to give her any meal.  It is also alleged that she took the bones of the dead from the kirkyard at Dyce.  The bones were then washed in water which was then used to clean a sick man in Hatton of Fintray.  The bones were then thrown into the River Don, causing the water to rumble as if all the hills had fallen in.  Another accusation against her was that she had managed to cure diseased sheep in Gartly by using witchcraft.

Isabel was found guilty, and sentenced to death.  Other records in the City Archives detail what was used to carry this out.  It seems that Isabel and another woman, Katherine Fergus, were executed together.  Payments for the items used include £1 12shillings for four tar barrels, 6shillings 8pence for two iron barrels, 13shillings 4pence for the stake and for someone to carry it and set it up and 6shillings for six fathoms of tow, or rope, which would have been used either to tie them to the stake inside the tar barrels, or to drag them through the streets before the execution.  Twenty six loads of peat to burn them were paid for at a cost of £2 13shillings and 4pence.

Transcription and Translation of Charge Two in the Dittay Given Against Isobel Strathanchyn, February 1597

Secundlie thou are art Indyttit for cu[m]ming to elspet mutray in vodheid vodes and askng 

fra hir to len the a pennie, q[ui]lk quhen sche had gevin the, thou tuik the 

pennie and bowitt it, and than tuik a clout and a piece of reid wax, and sewit the 

pennie and the wax within the clout, and therefter thow having Inchantit that 

clout thow gawe it to the said elpset mutray, Bidding hir hing the same about 

hir craig, and quhen sche saw the man sche luffit best, baid hir thin tak the 

clout w[it]h the pennie and the wax and straik hir face thereft[er] and she sua doing 

sult atteane to the mariage of the man quhom sche luffit best, and the 

s[ai]d elspet understanding that thy said directioun to hir was plane witchcraft 

and devilrie she keist that clout in the fyre, q[ui]lk had almost birnt all 

hir hous, and this you can not deny.

Secondly you are indicted for coming to Elspet Mutray in Woodhead woods and asking 

her to lend you a penny, which when she had given you, you took the 

penny and bent it, then took a cloth and a piece of red wax and sewed the 

penny and the red wax inside the cloth, and then having enchanted that 

cloth you gave it to the said Elspet Mutray bidding her to hang the same about 

her neck, and when she saw the man she loved best, bade her then take the 

cloth with the penny and the wax and stroke her face thereafter, and she so doing 

should attain to the marriage of the man whom she loved the best, and the 

said Elspet understanding that the said direction to her was plain witchcraft 

and devilry she cast the cloth in the fire, which had almost burned all 

her house, and this you can not deny

[Originally published as our Document of the Month in March 2008]