Jean Whythill, a resident of Renfrew, found herself ensnared in the witchcraft accusations that swept through Scotland during the early modern period. Her case unfolded amidst the turbulence of the witch trials that saw many women and men accused of consorting with evil forces. In 1700, Jean's name was brought into the courts primarily through the agitations of Margaret Laird, a young girl from Paisley who claimed to be tormented by witches. It was during one of Laird's fits that Jean, among numerous others, was denounced as a witch. The strength of the accusations heavily leaned on the testimony of individuals who witnessed Laird’s episodes and the names she uttered while convulsing, casting a shadow over the accused and implicating Jean in these spiritual crimes.
Jean's legal ordeal was centered in Edinburgh, where she faced trial on the 12th of March, 1700. The proceedings seemed to be a continuation of efforts from the previous year, when a trial scheduled in Glasgow for May 19, 1699, was inexplicably abandoned. Witness statements and a dittay were brought forward from a series of depositions undertaken in April 1699. However, despite the serious nature of the charges against Jean, the trial concluded with her release. The High Court ultimately deserted the diet, perhaps due to the lack of substantive evidence or a shift in judicial sentiment. Jean’s trial, as many of the time, reflected the complex interplay of fear, superstition, and legal procedure that characterized the witch trials of early modern Scotland.