Agnes Roy, a resident of Nigg in Sutherland, found herself entangled in the turbulent climate of the Scottish witch trials on the 22nd of July, 1590. The historical records concerning Agnes indicate her involvement in a legal case designated as C/EGD/49, marking her as the subject of judicial scrutiny during a period rife with fear and superstition.
The details of her case are further documented in two distinct trial records. The first, T/JO/2118, and the second, T/LA/899, likely capture the progression and procedural aspects of her trial. These records provide a glimpse into the mechanisms of the early modern Scottish legal system as it grappled with accusations of witchcraft. Nigg, the location of Agnes's residence, would have been a community steeped in the difficulties of the late 16th century, where economic and social issues often manifested in tensions that could lead to such accusations.
Although the specifics of Agnes Roy's involvement with alleged witchcraft are absent from the surviving documents, her story is emblematic of many during this era, reflecting the broader societal concerns that led to the witch trials of 1563–1736. Her experience stands as a testament to the complex intersections of personal, local, and legal histories in Scotland during a time of pervasive suspicion and fear.