In April 1568, the legal proceedings against Johnne Stevin, a resident of Auchmithie in the parish of St Vigeans, Forfar, commenced under the jurisdiction of the Scottish courts. Recorded in the judicial archives as case C/LA/3383, the inquiry into Johnne’s activities took place during a period of heightened concern regarding witchcraft in early modern Scotland. As a resident of this small fishing village, Johnne was subject to the scrutiny of local authorities who were tasked with investigating allegations of maleficium or diabolical association.
Following the initial charges, Johnne appeared before the court for trial, designated as T/LA/2251. The records provide the essential framework of this encounter, documenting his place within the community of Arbroath and St Vigeans and the formal administrative steps taken by the judiciary at the time. By capturing these details, the surviving documentation preserves the official account of Johnne’s experience within the legal machinery of sixteenth-century Scotland.