Isobel Gowdie – Scotland’s First Witch

Wanna hear about the most famous witch in all of Scottish history? Who wouldn’t, right? This would be one Isobel Gowdie, who gave four testimonials in 1662 confessing her involvement in harmful magical practices and consorting with the devil.

Gowdie’s trial is better documented than any other witchcraft confession. Although she was probably treated poorly during the proceedings, the use of torture had been forbidden by the Scottish Privy Council (advisors to the king). This means that Gowdie’s claims were made for other reasons. And what claims they were . . .

The usual witchcraft crimes come up: renouncing her baptism and letting the devil suck her neck, use of magical flight, killing people with magic, turning into animals, meeting with groups of witches (her trial gave us the term “coven” for these cohorts). She also revealed super detailed information about having sex with the devil, which was something that a lot of people in those days thought witches did. A less typical admission of Gowdie’s is specifically relevent to Scottish folklore: Gowdie claimed to have met with the queen and king of the fairies. (Scottish people had a more negative view of the fey/fairies than did their English neighbors.)

What would have compelled this woman to confess, given the likelihood of her resulting execution? Scholars have debated this for years. Perhaps she had ergot poisoning. Maybe she had PTSD from experiencing rape and political chaos. Others think she might have been part of a local group of shamen-like “service-magicians” who had been supported by her community until she messed with the wrong man (a religious zealot and minister named Harry Forbes whose fear of witches was well known).

We don’t know for sure whether Isobel Gowdie was killed, but 90% of condemned witches in Scotland were. Her trial marks the tail end of the infamous witch hunts of the Early Modern Era.