Marable Couper | |
|---|---|
| Era | 17th-century Birsay, in Orkney. |
| Known for | Scottish woman executed in Orkney for witchcraft in 17th century. |
Marable Couper (Marybel Cooper) was a young woman who lived in Birsay and was tried and executed for the crime of witchcraft in 1624. [1]
Couper lived in the settlement of Northside in Birsay with her husband John Spence and their son Robbie. [1]
She was known locally as someone consulted for charms and potions to treat illnesses. [2] This resulted in accusations of witchcraft which led to Couper's banishment from her parish, which she refused to comply with. [2]
She was involved in a quarrel with her neighbours, David Mowat and Margaret Corftoun, who had some misfortune with their cattle for which they blamed Couper, accusing her of putting a curse on them. [3]
Couper was brought from Birsay to St Magnus Cathedral in Kirkwall and held in Marwick's Hole until her trial, which took place on 7th July 1624. [1] The prosecutor of her case was Robert Chalmer and the judge was John Buchanan. [1]
She was found guilty of the crime of witchcraft and was sentenced to death by public strangulation and burning at Gallow Ha in 1624. [1]