In early September of 1679, Janet, a servant residing in the quaint town of Laudersdale, Haddington, found herself entangled in the turbulent waves of Scotland's witch trials. Serving under William Hunter, Janet's socioeconomic status as a lower-class worker placed her among the vulnerable individuals often targeted during these fervent hunts. The accusation, recorded in the Haddington porteous roll, aligned with the common charges of the era, including witchcraft, sorcery, necromancy, and a chilling renunciation of baptism, implying a complete surrender to the Devil. Such allegations painted vivid and sinister images, irrespective of evidence, which both excited and terrified the public imagination.
On the 9th of September, 1679, Janet was called before the local authorities in Haddington to face these grave accusations. However, the trial records reveal a significant turn—she was declared a fugitive merely three days later, on the 12th of September. This status implies that Janet had either managed to escape, choosing to risk the uncharted hazards of flight over the certainty of trial, or was simply not found by authorities. Her designation as a fugitive left the accusations hanging unresolved over her name, a reflection of the era's harsh climate, where fear and suspicion often eclipsed substantiated justice. Janet's case highlights the precarious position of women in 17th-century Scotland and the relentless grip of witchcraft allegations on their everyday lives.