Violet Mar

Scottish woman accused of witchcraft

Violet Mar (died 1577) was a Scottish woman accused of witchcraft and plotting the death of Regent Morton, the ruler of Scotland.

## History

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Violet lived at Kildeis or Keldeis in Muthill or Methven in Perthshire and was accused of using sorcery, witchcraft, incantations, and the invocation of spirits in her alleged plot against Morton. Little is known about her life or motivations.[1]

Robert Murray of Abercairny, a local laird, was involved in her arrest and trial. He sought advice from his sister-in-law, Annabell Murray, Countess of Mar, who was the head of King James VI's household at Stirling Castle at the time.[2]

In September 1577, Annabell Murray advised Robert Murray not to come to Stirling Castle because Regent Morton was coming. The Laird of Abercairny intended to bring Violet Mar to Stirling, and Annabell Murray suggested he obtain written statements from her accusers.[3] This was the second letter on the subject from the Countess of Mar, indicating her active role in planning Violet Mar's trial. It has been suggested that the Countess of Mar's involvement in such cases helped shape James VI's attitudes toward women accused of witchcraft.[4]

On 10 October 1577, a royal messenger, Robert Binning, was sent from Edinburgh to summon Margaret Murray, Lady Clackmannan (another sister of Catherine Murray, Lady Abercairney and the Countess of Mar), the Laird of Abercairny and his wife Catherine Murray, and others to appear before the Privy Council on 18 October. Binning also brought the summons for the assize (trial) of Violet Mar, scheduled for 24 October.[5]

Violet Mar was brought to trial and convicted on 24 October 1577.[6]

## Apology from Scottish government

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In March 2022 Nicola Sturgeon, the first minister of Scotland, apologized for the persecution of alleged witches during the 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries. The Scottish government had not apologized previously.[7]

## References

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1. ^ Robert Pitcairn, Ancient Criminal Trials, vol. 1 (Edinburgh, 1833), pp. 75-6.
2. ^ Michael Wasser, 'Scotland's First Witch Hunt', Julian Goodare, Scottish Witches and Witch-Hunters (Palgrave Macmillan, 2013), p. 29.
3. ^ HMC 3rd Report: C. H. D. Moray (London, 1872), p. 419, now National Library of Scotland.
4. ^ Michael Wasser, 'Scotland's First Witch Hunt', Julian Goodare, Scottish Witches and Witch-Hunters (Palgrave Macmillan, 2013), pp. 29, 33 fn. 65.
5. ^ Charles Thorpe McInnes, Accounts of the Treasurer, 1574-1580, vol. 13 (Edinburgh, 1978), p. 182.
6. ^ Robert Pitcairn, Ancient Criminal Trials, vol. 1 (Edinburgh, 1833), pp. 75-6: Michael Wasser, 'Scotland's First Witch Hunt', Julian Goodare, Scottish Witches and Witch-Hunters (Palgrave Macmillan, 2013), p. 29.
7. ^ Cramer, Maria (9 March 2022). "Scotland Apologizes for History of Witchcraft Persecution". The New York Times. Retrieved 9 March 2022.

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Magic and witchcraft in Britain

Folk magic|

| Variants|

* Anglo-Saxon metrical charms
* Anglo-Saxon paganism
* Cunning folk in Britain
* Goetia
* Nicnevin

|

Magicians|

* Dummy, the Witch of Sible Hedingham
* James Murrell
* George Pickingill

Ceremonial magic|

| Organizations|

* A∴A∴
* Alpha et Omega
* Hermetic Brotherhood of Luxor
* Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn
* O∴A∴A∴
* Ordo Templi Orientis
* Society of the Inner Light
* Typhonian Order

|

Magicians|

* Peter J. Carroll
* Andrew Chumbley
* Aleister Crowley
* John Dee
* Kenneth Grant
* Dion Fortune
* Phil Hine
* James Lees
* Samuel Liddell MacGregor Mathers
* Madeline Montalban
* Alan Moore
* Austin Osman Spare
* A. E. Waite

Early Modern
witchcraft|

| By country|

* Witchcraft in early modern Scotland
* Witchcraft in early modern Wales

|

Trials|

* Windsor Witches
* 1579
* Witches of Warboys
* 1589–1593
* North Berwick witch trials
* 1590
* Aberdeen witch trials
* 1596–1597
* Pendle witches
* 1612
* Northamptonshire witch trials
* 1612
* Samlesbury witches
* 1612
* Witches of Belvoir
* 1619
* Bury St Edmunds witch trials
* 1645, 1662, 1655, 1694
* Alloa witches
* 1658
* Bideford witch trial
* 1684
* Paisley witches
* 1696
* Pittenweem witches
* 1704
* Islandmagee witch trial
* 1711

Accused
witches|

* Lilias Adie
* Margaret Aitken
* Allison Balfour
* Margaret Bane
* Margaret Barclay
* Magdalene Blair
* Janet Boyman
* Margaret Burges
* Katherine Campbell
* Janet Coutts
* Janet Douglas, Lady Glamis
* Meg Dow
* Margaret Duchill
* Geillis Duncan
* Margaret Dunholm
* Bessie Dunlop
* Isobel Elliot
* Issobell Fergussone
* John Fian
* Agnes Finnie
* Maud Galt
* Gormshuil Mhòr na Maighe (aka Gormla)
* Isobel Gowdie
* Helen Guthrie
* Gwen ferch Ellis
* Janet Horne
* Grissel Jaffray
* Geillis Johnstone
* Mary Hicks
* Marie Lamont
* Beatrix Leslie
* Euphame MacCalzean
* Janet McNicol
* Elspeth McEwen
* Violet Mar
* Sarah Morduck
* Barbara Napier
* Alice Nutter
* Mary Pannal
* Alison Pearson
* George and Lachlan Rattray
* Elspeth Reoch
* Agnes Sampson
* Isobell Shyrie
* Bessie Stevenson
* Anna Tait
* Annaple Thomsone
* Marioun Twedy
* Issobell Young
* Marion Walker
* Beatrix Watsone
* Jane Weir
* Major Thomas Weir
* Janet Wishart
* Bessie Wright

Witch hunters and
Witch-prickers|

* Christian Caldwell
* John Kincaid

Neopagan witchcraft|

| Variants|

* Wicca: Alexandrian Wicca
* Gardnerian Wicca
* Cochrane's Craft

|

Neopagan
witches|

* Artemis
* Charles Cardell
* Robert Cochrane
* Dafo
* Stewart Farrar
* Janet Farrar
* Gerald Gardner
* Frederic Lamond
* Sybil Leek
* Alex Sanders
* Doreen Valiente
* Cecil Williamson

Modern
witchcraft|

| Last person imprisoned under
the Witchcraft Act 1735|

* Helen Duncan

|

Monuments
and museums|

| Monuments|

* Witches' Well, Edinburgh
* Maggie Wall

|

Museums|

* Museum of Witchcraft and Magic, Cornwall

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