In the chill of a November day in 1629, Jonet Rendall, a woman of very modest means, found herself at the heart of a witchcraft trial in Orkney, specifically in the small locality of Rigger, Rendall. Poor and without a fixed residence, Jonet lived as a vagabond, a lifestyle that, in those times, often attracted suspicion and hostility. Her socio-economic status and itinerant way of life likely contributed to her becoming a target for accusations that, in more affluent circles, might have been merely whispered gossip rather than formal charges.
Jonet stood accused of participating in a witches' meeting—an event that, within the context of 17th-century Scottish beliefs, carried significant stigma and threatened the established social and religious order. These meetings were purportedly gatherings where individuals were thought to consort with malevolent forces, marking a direct challenge to the rigid orthodoxy that governed Orkney society at the time. Despite the potentially grave consequences, the records available do not detail the specificities of the meeting in question or the evidence presented.
The records indicate that a confession was recorded from Jonet, a development that was not uncommon in witch trials of the period, often occurring under duress or persuasion. Additionally, she was linked to allegations of property damage, namely involving a dairy. Such accusations might have stemmed from longstanding community grievances or mere misfortune being ascribed to a convenient scapegoat, as dairy produce was a vital part of the agrarian economy and any unexplained losses could incite fear and blame. Though the broader outcome of Jonet's trial remains elusive within the records, her story exemplifies the precarious existence faced by those on the margins of early modern Scottish society, caught within the fervor of witch-hunting zeal.