In the winter of 1644, Kathren Shaw, a widow residing in Lanark, found herself caught within the rigorous legal and ecclesiastical machinery of the Scottish witch trials. The process against her moved with formal gravity throughout the year, beginning with a denunciation to the Presbytery of Lanark. Following this initial accusation, Kathren was subjected to questioning within the Tolbooth, where, in August 1644, she provided a confession that remains preserved in the judicial archives as case C/EGD/1310.
The record of her testimony offers a striking glimpse into the internal logic of the proceedings. During her interrogation, Kathren recounted an interaction with the devil, describing an encounter where he purportedly sought to enlist her as his servant. In a response that subverted the usual expectations of such narratives, she reportedly asked him what he could possibly offer her, noting that she already possessed sufficient meat and meal to sustain herself. This exchange, captured in the official record, marked a significant moment in the trials held in Lanark, which culminated in the proceedings categorized under trial references T/LA/1081 and T/LA/1089.