In the autumn of 1630, the community of Boddome, near Peterhead, became the setting for the judicial examination of Margaret Small. Her case, documented under reference C/EGD/1250, formally entered the legal record on August 9, 1630. At the heart of the proceedings against Margaret were accusations concerning her alleged involvement in a witches' meeting, a charge that carried grave ecclesiastical and civil implications within the early seventeenth-century Scottish legal framework.
Beyond the charge of gathering with others for illicit purposes, the case against Margaret also involved allegations of property damage. Specifically, the court records indicate that she was held responsible for the destruction of boats, an accusation that would have been particularly devastating in a coastal settlement reliant upon maritime industry. As the trial progressed under reference T/LA/794, these diverse claims were synthesized into a formal prosecution, reflecting the era’s preoccupation with the intersection of perceived supernatural influence and tangible harm to property.