In the late summer of 1662, amidst the rugged landscape of Inverness, a region steeped in a tapestry of ancient clans and shifting allegiances, Ninian Dowie Vic Finley found himself ensnared in the pervasive and perilous web of witchcraft accusations. Ninian, a member of a cluster of individuals intricately linked to the McLean family, was one among fifteen individuals accused of practicing witchcraft—a charge leveled against them by the Chisholms, a family with whom there may have been existing tensions. The reasons for these accusations were not preserved in meticulous detail, yet such charges were not uncommon in a time rife with fear and suspicion, where personal vendettas or clan rivalries could easily manifest in accusations of malignant supernatural practices.
Though the specific details of his trial remain elusive to the modern scholar, being absent from available trial documents, Ninian's involvement in this case reflects the broader societal fears and the ease with which accusations could spread in 17th-century Scotland. The very fact of his trial indicates that he, like many others, was compelled to navigate the fraught judicial landscape of the time, where testimonies and hearsay could determine one’s fate. The scant records, including only the date and the association with the McLeans, leave much to interpret regarding Ninian’s personal experiences and the ultimate outcome of his trial. Nevertheless, Ninian’s story remains a poignant chapter in the historical narrative of witchcraft in Scotland, underscoring the turbulent intersection of familial affiliations and community distrust in shaping the lives of those accused during this dark episode of Scottish history.