In the winter of 1662, Jonet Morisone, a resident of Rothesay on the Isle of Bute, became the subject of an intensive legal process concerning charges of witchcraft, specifically the accusation of attending a witches' meeting. The administrative trail left by her case reveals an extraordinary period of interrogation. Beginning on January 15, 1662, within her own home, and continuing through a series of sessions held in the Tolbooth and other locations, Jonet provided a documented confession. Over the course of nine days—spanning January 18, 21, 22, 23, and 29—the frequency of these recorded statements underscores the gravity with which the local authorities treated her testimony.
The reach of the judicial proceedings in Rothesay is further evidenced by the extent to which Jonet was implicated by others. Her name appears in the testimonies of at least fourteen individuals, including John Gely, Jonat McConachie, Elspat Galie, and several others such as Margrat NcWilliam, Katharine Moore, and Margaret NcLevin. The collective denunciations from figures like Cirstine Ballantyne, Jonat McNeill, Elspeth Spence, Janet McNicol, Margrat NcIllduy, Jonet Isack, Margaret Smith, and Issobell NcNicol illustrate how deeply intertwined her case was with the broader social and legal investigations of the era. Following these extensive examinations, the process concluded with a formal case entry on February 5, 1662, marking a definitive moment in the historical record of her ordeal.
