In 1644, the legal machinery of early modern Scotland turned toward Janet Mowbray, a resident of the burgh of Queensferry in the county of Linlithgow. Recorded under case file C/EGD/2341, Janet was formally brought before the authorities to answer to the grave charge of witchcraft. At a time when such accusations were frequently pursued with intense scrutiny and dire consequences, her appearance in the records marks a significant moment of legal intervention within the community.
The documentation surrounding her trial, archived under T/JO/521, provides a singular and decisive conclusion to the proceedings. Unlike many of her contemporaries who faced protracted investigations or harsher outcomes, Janet was acquitted of the charges brought against her. Following the resolution of the case, she disappears from the formal judicial records, leaving behind a historical trace defined by her exoneration in the face of a capital accusation.