In May 1662, Margret McIllvein, a resident of Bute, became the subject of a formal legal inquiry regarding the crime of witchcraft. The records of the Justiciary Court (C/EGD/1529) indicate that the proceedings against Margret moved with notable celerity during that spring. Following an initial phase of scrutiny in early May, the judicial process culminated in a formal confession obtained from her later that same month.
While the surviving trial notes (T/JO/929) remain sparse regarding the specific nature of the allegations or the content of her testimony, the existence of the confession marks a significant turning point in her case. As was common in the Scottish witch trials of the mid-17th century, Margret’s admission of guilt serves as the primary archival record of her experience within the legal system. Having provided this confession in May 1662, she remained part of the wider judicial efforts in Bute to address charges of sorcery during one of the most intense periods of witch-hunting in early modern Scotland.