In the summer of 1629, the legal records of Nairn formally identified John Hasben as a subject of judicial inquiry under the witchcraft statutes. A married man residing in Calseat, John was documented within the specific administrative grouping associated with Nairn, despite some early records loosely categorising his origin within the broader region of Moray. The archival entry, preserved under case reference C/EGD/666, signals the initiation of formal proceedings against him on the 19th of June.
The subsequent trial, recorded under file T/LA/636, situates John within the complex ecclesiastical and civil legal landscape of early seventeenth-century Scotland. At this time, the judicial process for such accusations typically involved intense scrutiny by local kirk sessions and magistrates, reflecting the era’s deep-seated preoccupation with perceived supernatural influence. While the specific nature of the allegations against John remains confined to these structural records, the documentation serves as a testament to the rigorous, highly formalised bureaucratic procedures that governed the lives and legal standing of individuals brought before the courts during this period.