Mary Nein Goune Baike, a resident of Inverness in the year 1662, found herself caught in the harrowing web of accusations characteristic of the Scottish witch trials. The records that survive today give us a glimpse into her ordeal during a period of intense social and religious anxiety. Mary’s case, noted under the reference (C/EGD/1667), began formally on September 4, 1662, though scant details of the trial itself have come down to us through the historical record.
However, what is documented with grim certainty are the brutal methods employed to extract confessions from those accused of witchcraft. In June 1662, Mary was subjected to various forms of torture, a common practice used under the assumption that the pain would reveal the truth of her supposed dealings with malevolent forces. The records explicitly mention the horrors she endured—sleep deprivation, burning of the feet, being hanged by her thumbs, whipping, and being bound tightly with ropes. These methods were intended to break her resolve and force an admission of guilt, whether true or contrived.
This period in Scottish history was marked by widespread fear and suspicion, where accusations could arise from personal vendettas or local rumors. Mary's experience, while unique in its personal details, was shared by many others who faced the same terrifying process, leaving a somber legacy of the brutal lengths to which societal fears of witchcraft could lead.