In the late summer of 1661, the judicial machinery of early modern Scotland turned toward the royal burgh of Queensferry in Linlithgow, where Margret Bartan was identified as a subject of legal inquiry. On the 6th of September, Margret was formally brought before the authorities under the case reference C/EGD/1389. This period was one of heightened sensitivity regarding accusations of maleficium and diabolical pacts, placing Margret within a rigorous administrative process that sought to document and regulate perceived spiritual threats to the community.
Following her initial appearance, the proceedings moved toward a structured interrogation, culminating in the formal recording of a confession later that same month. While the laconic nature of the surviving records—cataloged under trial reference T/JO/821—omits the specific depositions or the intimate details of her testimony, the existence of a documented confession indicates that Margret provided a narrative of events that aligned with the theological and legal expectations of the court. By September 1661, the administrative cycle of her case had concluded, leaving behind an archival trace that marks her intersection with the Scottish witch trials.