In the early 17th century, amidst the burgeoning fear of witchcraft in Scotland, an unfortunate episode unfolded in the quiet parish of Innerwick, Haddington. It involved Jonet Listar, a woman of lower socioeconomic standing and the wife of a gardener. Jonet’s life intersected dramatically with the prevailing anxieties surrounding witchcraft, leading to her accusation in 1613. Her case is recorded under the reference C/EGD/854, casting a light on the events that pulled her into a web of suspicion characteristic of that tumultuous era.
Jonet Listar, amidst the rural backdrop of Innerwick, faced trial for witchcraft on the date recorded as 2nd March 1613, under the trial reference T/LA/214. Details surrounding the charges against her are sparse, but her socio-economic position as a gardener’s wife probably made her particularly vulnerable to accusations. The witch hunts in Scotland often entangled individuals who occupied marginal or precarious places within their communities. These trials were marked by the inclination to suspect those at the fringes, whose lives were possibly beset by the strains of economic hardship. Jonet's case, like many others, serves as a sobering reminder of the societal dynamics and fears that fueled the witch hunts, leaving an enduring mark on Scottish history.