In the summer of 1602, the small community of Waiss in Shetland was the focal point for a significant accusation of witchcraft involving one Mareoun Geilsdochter. Mareoun, a resident of this remote locale, found herself enmeshed in the web of early modern witchcraft trials, which swept through Scotland during this period. The formal accusations came before the Sheriff Court on July 30th in Skeldevo, a nearby jurisdiction. The record states that Mareoun was accused of causing damage specifically to dairy, a significant allegation given the reliance on sustenance agriculture in Shetland communities.
Mareoun’s trial process was somewhat characteristic of the time and place, employing a mechanism known as a "larycht aith." This required her to accrue social capital in the form of oaths; she could clear her name by acquiring sworn declarations of innocence from her neighbors, effectively placing her fate in the hands of communal bonds. Additionally, as part of the trial proceedings, she faced a fine of 2 merk silver. This approach underscores how such trials were governed not just by legal pronouncements but also by the social fabric of the community. Whether she was ultimately able to gather the necessary support from her neighbors remains unrecorded, leaving Mareoun's historical fate open-ended yet indicative of the deeply interwoven layers of early modern justice and community life.