The Survey of Scottish Witchcraft

1563-1736

By Julian Goodare, Lauren Martin, Joyce Miller and Louise Yeoman, January 2003


The Survey of Scottish Witchcraft logo

Trial Details

T/JO/83 Jonet Leyis

Name of the accused
Jonet Leyis
Associated case
C/EGD/2125 (22/3/1597)
Trial process type
Local Court

Pre-trial actions

commissions
commission body type date seal notes
Royal Commision - Unknown Origin Arrest and Justiciary 2/2/1597 signet None
previous commissions
commission body date
no recorded prior commission
appeals
central authority reason appeal date
no recorded appeals
complaints
type date of complaint lodged at appeal date complainent involvement
no recorded complaints
move to higher legal authority
moved to date of move
no recorded move to higher legal authority
denunciations
denuncation date dated
no recorded denunciations
imprisonments
incarceration date central trial imprison prison location moving
no recorded imprisonments
tortures
date of torture torture type
no recorded tortures
ordeals
date of ordeal ordeal type
no recorded ordeals
confessions
central trial confession date location notes
no recorded confessions

other information

Pre-trial notes
None
watched?
no
watch date
no information
arrested?
no
arrest date
no information
fled?
no
date absconded
no information
action dropped?
no
action dropped date
no information
action dropped by
no information
trial action body
no information
confronting suspects?
no

Trial phase

trial date
22/3/1597
trial place
Tolbooth

place of trial

settlement
no information
parish
no information
presbytery
Aberdeen
county
Aberdeen
burgh
Aberdeen

verdict

verdict
Half Guilty
defence
no
female accusers
0
male accusers
0
recorded as high status?
no
order for central judiciary trial
no
judiciary trial date
no information
circuit court (mixed central and local)
no
circuit name
no information
local court with central representatives
no
trial notes
John Leyis and his daughters were absolved from accusations of witchcraft but guilty of assocation with known witches (wife and brother). They were ordered to be banished.
persons associated with the trial
name title office occupation involvement witchpricker? notes
Alexander Rutherford None provost None Prosecutor no Involved in 1597 cases.
Alexander Jaffry None bailie None Prosecutor no Involved in cases in 1597. Also spelled Joffray.
George Troupt None None None Chancellor no Involved in 1597.
Patrick Cheyne Mr None None Prosecutor no Involved in cases in 1597.
Andrew Clerk Mr Procurator Fiscal advocate Prosecutor no Involved in cases in 1597.

Post-trial phase

sentence
Banishment
executed?
no
execution date
no information
execution place
no information
execution method
no information
post trial notes
Banished after trial but no specific details. Later a letter to the town clerk asked about Janet's character as she wanted her marriage banns read. The clerk outlined the details of the trial, said he knew no more about her but did not think that there was any reason to refuse her request. No information about location.
other named witches
name trial link accused link
Johnnet Wischert T/JO/1 A/EGD/2067
Thomas Leyis T/JO/3 A/EGD/2068

Mentioned as a witch

mentioned as a witch
type name mention date fate linked trialdate trial link notes
no mentions