In July 1631, the legal proceedings surrounding John Smith, a 44-year-old messenger residing in Duns, Berwick, reached a critical juncture. Records indicate that John’s involvement in the judicial system began two years earlier, when he was first denounced by Alexander Hammilton in Duns on July 13, 1629. This initial denunciation served as the catalyst for his subsequent inclusion in legal records under the reference C/EGD/1225, which formalised charges against him that specifically included participation in a meeting of witches.
Throughout the documentation of his case, John’s social standing is framed by his professional life; he is variously recorded as a messenger and as a servant to a lady. His entanglement in these proceedings was not an isolated matter, as he was identified and mentioned within the trial records of others, specifically by John McReadie and repeatedly by Alexander Hammilton. The complexity of these associations eventually necessitated that the judicial process move beyond local jurisdiction, leading to his trial in Edinburgh under reference T/LA/99.