Janet Coutts

Janet Coutts or Jonet Coutts (fl. 1640s) was the last to be executed for witchcraft in Peebles in the Scottish Borders and was at the centre of a major witch hunt that would implicate 88 others accused of witchcraft.

Coutts was accused in the parish of Kirkurd, Peebleshireof causing the death of one man named John Symington and of causing another man to injure his leg. Symington had become gravely ill and died just a few days after he had been seen arguing with Coutts. Symington's mother was the one who accused Coutts of being a witch and of cursing her son. The accusations seem to be the result of grudges against Coutts.

When Coutts learned of the allegations being spread against her, she went to the Symington house on the day of his funeral and stood outside proclaiming

God be itt him never get rest in hallowed mulles till he mak me amends for his laying of his death upon me.

Witnesses claimed it was at that moment that Symington's corpse began to bleed and spill out of his coffin until Coutts left the funeral procession. She was then arrested and held at the Old Tolbooth in Peebles.

Initially, she refused to confess to the accusations against her so the Prtesbytery of Peebles took advice on the matter and sought to bring a witch pricker who had been working in the local area, George Cathie.

Following hours of interrogation and torture by the witch pricker's needle, she confessed to a pact with the devil and stated the devil had given her a kiss. The devil's mark was on her neck according to Cathie as this spot was the one insensible to his needle. She was made to confess that she had met the devil at her mother's house and that he had appeared as 'a male in green clothing. Her own confession (obtained under duress) on top of the claims from witnesses and the witch pricker's investigations into her would end up condemning her.

A trial was set for 21 November 1649. Coutts faced 5 female accusers and 3 male accusers.