Janet Robertson, a married woman of middling status from the parish of Govan in Lanark, found her life abruptly upended in the spring of 1699. Her involvement in the legal proceedings of the period began when Margaret Murdoch, the daughter of John Murdoch of Craigtown, began experiencing violent, convulsive fits. During these episodes, Margaret publicly denounced Janet as a source of her torment, implicating her alongside numerous other individuals in the community. The gravity of these accusations was compounded by the fact that Janet’s own daughter was also named in connection to the allegations of witchcraft, placing the family under intense local scrutiny.
In the ensuing months, the case moved beyond Govan to the broader legal system in Glasgow, where witnesses were examined regarding the nature of Margaret’s fits and the specific content of her denunciations. Although a trial was scheduled for Glasgow in May 1699, it appears this proceeding did not take place. The legal process continued to evolve, eventually leading to a trial in the High Court in Edinburgh on 12 March 1700. Following the collection of witness statements and the formal presentation of a *dittay*—the document outlining the specific charges against her—the court ultimately reached a conclusion. The diet was deserted, and Janet was released, marking the end of her involvement in the formal judicial processes of the witch trials.