In late November 1577, Christiane Roiss, a woman residing in Canorth, Tain, was brought before a tribunal held within the cathedral kirk of Ross. Her proceedings were conducted under a royal commission, reflecting the formal legal weight placed upon the allegations leveled against her. Within the context of the sixteenth-century Scottish judicial system, the charges brought forward against Christiane focused on her participation in a witches’ meeting, an accusation that carried profound implications for the social and spiritual order of the community.
The records indicate that Christiane provided a formal confession during the course of the inquiry. Following this testimony, the court reached a verdict of guilty regarding the charges. Consequently, the judicial process culminated in a sentence of execution; Christiane was put to death by burning. This case remains documented in the archives as part of the formal administration of the period, underscoring the severity with which the authorities in Ross treated those identified through the mechanism of these specific legal proceedings.