In the waning years of the 17th century, Jean Drummond found herself ensnared in the web of fear and superstition that characterized the Scottish witch trials. A resident of Kilbarchan, Renfrew, Jean was a married woman whose life took a dramatic turn when she was accused of witchcraft, an allegation that stemmed from the troubled experiences of a young girl named Margaret Laird in nearby Paisley. Margaret, reportedly tormented by fits that she attributed to the machinations of witches, pointed to Jean and others as the source of her distress. These denunciations, often made during the throes of her episodes, stirred up a local frenzy, leading to a formal inquiry in April 1699.
The case against Jean was primarily built on the spectral testimony related to Margaret's fits, and it is documented that a collection of witness statements was compiled during sessions held in Paisley over several days in April 1699. The intensity of the accusations led to the scheduling of a trial in Glasgow on May 19, 1699, yet curiously, this hearing seems not to have taken place. Instead, the proceedings shifted to the high court in Edinburgh, where the matter was revisited in March of the following year. Ultimately, the court decided to desert the diet, a term indicating the abandonment of prosecution, resulting in Jean's release. Thus, Jean Drummond's journey through the trials ended without a sentence, leaving behind a narrative that echoes the complex interplay of fear, belief, and justice in early modern Scotland.