In the late autumn of 1643, a woman known to the historical record as NikNeveing was brought before the authorities in the parish of Crieff. Residing in the settlement of Monaie, in the county of Perth, NikNeveing was an individual of extraordinary longevity, documented as being one hundred years of age at the time of her accusation. Her entry into the legal process on November 24, 1643, under case reference C/EGD/177, marked the beginning of a formal investigation that would eventually lead to a trial, registered under the reference T/LA/31.
The records for this case are sparse, yet they offer a stark glimpse into the legal landscape of seventeenth-century Scotland. At a century old, NikNeveing stood at an age far exceeding the average life expectancy of her contemporaries, placing her at the centre of an official inquiry during a period of heightened sensitivity to witchcraft. Despite the gravity of the charges brought against her, the archives preserve only the essential details of her identity, her residence in Monaie, and the dates of the proceedings that defined her final years within the judicial system.