In the summer of 1650, Jonnet Galbraith found herself at the center of a witchcraft accusation in Greenock, a parish in Renfrew, Scotland. Historical records from that period, housed under Case C/EGD/2380, indicate that Jonnet was among those ensnared in the web of witchcraft allegations sweeping through Scotland during that era. The events surrounding her trial began on the 24th of July, though the outcomes remain shrouded in obscurity. The presbytery records note that Jonnet was slated to be tried on the following Monday, highlighting the urgency and gravity with which such accusations were handled at the time.
The proceedings took place in Renfrew, known during the 17th century for its strict adherence to religious and moral codes, often entangled with the socio-political dynamics. The trial, recorded under T/JO/1125, was conducted in accordance with the period's legal processes, where evidence was frequently drawn from community testimonies and confessions elicited under pressure. Although the specific charges against Jonnet and the ensuing verdict are not preserved in the surviving documents, the mere fact of her trial illuminates much about the societal fears that afflicted small communities like Greenock. Jonnet Galbraith's brush with the witch trials exemplifies a time when suspicion could swiftly transform into legal peril, echoing the broader witch craze that gripped not just Scotland, but much of Europe during the 16th and 17th centuries.