Att Edinburgh The Twenty sixth day of July Jaj vjc nynty Eight years
A1698/7/26
A1698/7/26
Act
Act Anent Elspeth McEwen a witch
The Lords of his majesties privy Councill Having by their Interloquitor of the seventh of June Last nominated and appointed a Committee of their own number for considering the Depositiones probations and verdict and haill steps of the process of Witchcraft Led before the Commissioners appointed by the privy Councill against Elspeth McEwen Conform To the Councills Commission of the date the First day of March Last bypast, And To Report to the Councill if the procedure of the Commissioners be agreeable to the process probatione and verdict and declared any Two of them to be a quorum which Committee having accordingly mett They gave in their Report Subscrived be his Majesties Advocate, Bearing That the verdict of the Assisse is unanimous finding her Guilty upon her own Confession and the depositions of witnesses of a Compact and Correspondence with the Devill and of charmes and of accession To malefices. The Depositions are in process as also her Judiciall Confession adhered To before the Commissioners and Assissers is in process signed be a nottar att her Command because she could not write And Likeways by McGuffock of Rusco chosen President by the Commissioners. And upon This verdict there is a Sentence Condemnator wherby the Commissioners again find her Guilty which was Indeed needless. It being Enough That the assisse hade found her Guilty, But this is only superfluity of Style. And Therfore since the sentence Adjudges her to be Execute on […] day In July It is thought That the Lords of his Majesties privy Councill should approve the sentence and appoint a day and order the Clerk to write out ane Extended Decreet And send the same in with the process to be Keept in the Records of Justiciary. Which Report Being this day read in presence of the Councill, His Majesties high Commissioner And The Lords of his majesties Privy Councill Doe heirby approve of the sentence given by the Commissioners above appointed against the said Elspeth McEwen And ordains the saids Commissioners or their former Quorum To meet and appoint The Twenty Fourth day of August next to come to be the day of the Execution thereof And In caice the saids Commissioners shall not meet. The saids Lords Doe heirby appoint The sentence of Death already pronunced against The said Elspeth McEwen To be put to Execution against the said Twenty Fourth of August next. And ordains the Stewart and his Deputes of the Stewartrie of Kirkcudbright To see the said sentence duely Execute And ordains the saids Commissioners named in the forsaid Commission To cause their Clerk Extract ane Decreet in the whole process with the manner of Execution And To Return the Extract thereof to James Montgomry of Langshaw Clerk to the Justice-Court Betwixt and the Twenty Fourth day of September next, to be Registrat and Remain in the Justiciary Books there.
Att Edinburgh The Twenty sixth day of July Jaj vjc nynty Eight years
A1698/7/26
Act
Act Anent Elspeth McEwen a witch
The Lords of his majesties privy Councill Having by their Interloquitor of the seventh of June Last nominated and appointed a Committee of their own number for considering the Depositiones probations and verdict and haill steps of the process of Witchcraft Led before the Commissioners appointed by the privy Councill against Elspeth McEwen Conform To the Councills Commission of the date the First day of March Last bypast, And To Report to the Councill if the procedure of the Commissioners be agreeable to the process probatione and verdict and declared any Two of them to be a quorum which Committee having accordingly mett They gave in their Report Subscrived be his Majesties Advocate, Bearing That the verdict of the Assisse is unanimous finding her Guilty upon her own Confession and the depositions of witnesses of a Compact and Correspondence with the Devill and of charmes and of accession To malefices. The Depositions are in process as also her Judiciall Confession adhered To before the Commissioners and Assissers is in process signed be a nottar att her Command because she could not write And Likeways by McGuffock of Rusco chosen President by the Commissioners. And upon This verdict there is a Sentence Condemnator wherby the Commissioners again find her Guilty which was Indeed needless. It being Enough That the assisse hade found her Guilty, But this is only superfluity of Style. And Therfore since the sentence Adjudges her to be Execute on […] day In July It is thought That the Lords of his Majesties privy Councill should approve the sentence and appoint a day and order the Clerk to write out ane Extended Decreet And send the same in with the process to be Keept in the Records of Justiciary. Which Report Being this day read in presence of the Councill, His Majesties high Commissioner And The Lords of his majesties Privy Councill Doe heirby approve of the sentence given by the Commissioners above appointed against the said Elspeth McEwen And ordains the saids Commissioners or their former Quorum To meet and appoint The Twenty Fourth day of August next to come to be the day of the Execution thereof And In caice the saids Commissioners shall not meet. The saids Lords Doe heirby appoint The sentence of Death already pronunced against The said Elspeth McEwen To be put to Execution against the said Twenty Fourth of August next. And ordains the Stewart and his Deputes of the Stewartrie of Kirkcudbright To see the said sentence duely Execute And ordains the saids Commissioners named in the forsaid Commission To cause their Clerk Extract ane Decreet in the whole process with the manner of Execution And To Return the Extract thereof to James Montgomry of Langshaw Clerk to the Justice-Court Betwixt and the Twenty Fourth day of September next, to be Registrat and Remain in the Justiciary Books there.
