In the early summer of 1615, Janet Drever found herself at the center of a witch trial in the Bishopric of Orkney, specifically on the island of Westray, where she resided. The records pertaining to Janet’s trial offer a unique glimpse into the workings of early modern Scottish justice and the intense scrutiny faced by individuals accused of witchcraft during this period. Janet's case was brought before the ecclesiastical court on June 6, 1615, a detail that highlights the involvement of religious authorities in prosecuting alleged witchcraft, reflecting both the theological and communal anxieties of the time.
The trial's outcome was decisive: Janet was found guilty. The sentence pronounced against her was both a form of public humiliation and exile, as she was ordered to be "Scrudgit," a term indicating that she was paraded through the town from one end to the other. This public procession served as a stark warning to the community about the perceived dangers of witchcraft. Following this, Janet was to be banished from Westray, a punishment that underscores the social ostracism faced by those convicted of witchcraft. The harsh sentence reflects contemporary beliefs about the threat that such accusations posed to the social and moral order. Though records do not elucidate the specific charges or evidence against her, Janet's case remains indicative of the broader patterns of witchcraft trials in Orkney and Scotland at large during this era.