Jonnet Reid, a resident of Tarbolton in Ayrshire, became ensnared in accusations of witchcraft, which ultimately led to her conviction. The proceedings of her trial commenced on the morning of Wednesday, March 31, 1658, culminating on Tuesday, April 6, 1658.
Jonnet Reid was married to James Smyth of Tarbolton.
For a comprehensive exploration of similar convictions, further information can be accessed at: http://witches.shca.ed.ac.uk
In the annals of Scotland, the year 1563 saw the enactment of the Witchcraft Act, a statute that endured until 1736. The majority of those accused, a staggering 84%, were women. Within this timeframe, practicing witchcraft constituted a capital offense, and individuals found guilty faced strangulation followed by burning at the stake, erasing any physical remains.
Upon being accused of witchcraft, individuals were detained while awaiting trial and subjected to torment aimed at extracting confessions. Sleep deprivation emerged as a common method of torture in Scotland, involving the deliberate deprivation of sleep to induce confusion and hallucinations. Given our contemporary understanding, it’s not surprising that sleep deprivation became an effective means of coercing “confessions” from those accused of witchcraft. Additional forms of torture included “pricking,” which entailed piercing the skin with needles and bodkins to observe the reaction and ascertain if blood would be drawn. Furthermore, individuals were subjected to disrobing and body examinations to search for any perceived “witches’ mark.” Disturbingly, these torture procedures often took place in public settings. Methods involving crushing and nail extraction were also employed.
To learn more about the campaign for justice within this context, please visit: https://www.witchesofscotland.com
A guide track for ‘Jonnet Reid’ is available below for listening: -
You can download a PDF of the sheet music here
- or braille format here.
The track is additionally available within the following collections and sets: -
Associated Collections: -
2/4
Ayrshire Characters
Bagpipe
March
The Tarbolton Collection
Witches
