On December 14, 1626, the legal machinery of the Scottish witch trials ensnared Johnne Findlaw, a resident of Wester Baltie in Aberdeen. Recorded under case number C/EGD/988 and subsequently tried under T/LA/457, Johnne’s appearance before the authorities marked a significant moment in his life during a period when accusations of maleficium and occult practice were frequent occurrences in the northeast of Scotland. His case remains a notable entry in the archival records of the period, reflecting the administrative diligence of local courts in addressing such charges.
The records concerning Johnne also suggest a potential intersection with earlier controversies, as he is noted as possibly being the same individual who consulted with a woman named Tibbie Smart in 1568. While the nature of that earlier association is not explicitly detailed in the available documentation, the cross-referencing of these records highlights the persistence of suspicious reputations within local communities. Through these surviving notations, Johnne exists in the historical record as a figure caught within the rigid judicial framework of 17th-century Aberdeen.