Jean Rutherd of Lauder, alternatively noted as Jean Roucheid in some records, found herself enmeshed in the shadowy proceedings of 17th-century Scottish witchcraft trials—a turbulent period fraught with fear and suspicion. Initially brought to the attention of authorities in 1662, Jean was accused of witchcraft—charges that carried grave implications in that era. Yet, at this early juncture, the Privy Council, the principal governing body of Scotland, opted to release her. This release did not signify freedom from suspicion, however. Almost a decade later, on the 24th of May, 1671, Jean was yet again summoned to stand in front of a circuit court, a reflection of the times when accusations, once made, persistently trailed the individual. Despite the convening of legal forces, proceedings against Jean did not advance significantly at this moment.
This cyclical pattern of accusation and re-examination marked Jean's subsequent years. Her name surfaced once more on the infamous Porteous Roll—a register detailing those individuals whose absconding from justice rendered them fugitives. Among various alleged delinquents, Jean was repeatedly listed as a "delinquent," indicative of ongoing legal entanglements. However, an entry next to her name simply stating "dead" suggests that she may have met her end before further legal action could transpire. The entry curiously closes this chapter of her life, leaving an incomplete but poignant record of a woman caught within the relentless witch-hunt fervor that swept through parts of Scotland. Jean's life, as recorded, echoes the peril faced by those once ensnared by suspicion and legal pursuit during one of the more fraught chapters of Scottish history.