In the spring of 1662, in the parish of Contin within the sprawling area of Ross, the life of Jonet Neill Donald Vic William Vic More took a dramatic turn when she found herself caught up in the tumultuous wave of witch trials that swept through early modern Scotland. Known locally as Jonet, she resided in the small township of Scatt. The specific details leading to her accusation have not survived the passage of time, leaving modern scholars to ponder the context of her plight largely through the broader patterns typical of the era’s witch trials.
Jonet's trial, catalogued under the case number C/EGD/1504, took place against the backdrop of a society grappling with superstition and fear of malevolent forces—factors that often led to neighbors accusing one another of witchcraft. Her trial documentation, filed as T/JO/912, discloses unfortunately little about the proceedings themselves, with the trial notes comprising no further details. However, one significant piece of the puzzle endures: Jonet recorded a confession in May of 1662. Confessions, whether extracted under duress or voluntarily given, were pivotal in the adjudication of witch trials during this period. Jonet's confession, regardless of its content or legitimacy, would have played a crucial role in her treatment by the law and the community thereafter.
Without the specifics of her confession or trial outcomes, Jonet's story reflects the broader narrative of many individuals swept into the judiciaries of the 17th century, where opaque records often leave more questions than answers. Her experience highlights the difficult and often perilous existence of women in remote Scottish communities during a time of rampant fear and suspicion of witchcraft. The historical record of her trial arrestingly captures a single entry in the mosaic of personal tragedies that defined the witch trials of early modern Scotland.