In the spring of 1597, the city of Aberdeen became the site of intense judicial scrutiny regarding the practice of witchcraft. Among those brought before the authorities was Christen Michell, a fifty-three-year-old widow of middling social standing. Her position in the community was anchored by the status of her late husband, who had been a litster—a dyer of cloth—and a respected burgess of the city. Despite these connections, Christen found herself ensnared in a widening web of accusations that linked various individuals across the burgh in common cause.
The legal proceedings against Christen culminated rapidly on March 9, 1597. Her name appeared repeatedly in the testimonies of others implicated in the trials, including Johnnet Wischert, Thomas Leyis, Isobell Manteith, Bessie Thom, and Issobel Barroun, all of whom identified her as an accomplice. Furthermore, her case was connected to a broader narrative of witchcraft in the region, with Margrat Innes citing her as a precedent. Following a confession recorded earlier that same month, the court found Christen guilty of charges that included participation in a witches' meeting. On that final day of the trial, the sentence of execution was passed and carried out, marking the end of her involvement in the tumultuous events of that season.
