In April 1643, the legal machinery of the Scottish witch trials turned toward Westray, Orkney, to address the accusations brought against Thomas Cors. As recorded in the judicial archives (C/EGD/2285), the proceedings against Thomas were formalised on the 6th of April, marking the beginning of a process that would subject him to the scrutiny of the local judiciary. At the heart of the case was a significant and grave allegation: Thomas was charged with the destruction of an entire estate.
The scope of this accusation, involving the loss of a whole property, placed Thomas at the centre of a serious legal inquiry (T/JO/1398). In the context of early modern Orkney, such charges often bridged the gap between civil property disputes and the supernatural realm, with the total ruin of a household frequently attributed to maleficium. Though the records provide a clear account of the gravity of the charges brought against him, they remain a stark testament to the judicial environment of 17th-century Scotland, where the intersection of property, community, and the law frequently culminated in trials of this nature.