On the 16th of July 1661, the life of Gilbert Wynd, a resident of the village of Gilmerton near Liberton, Edinburgh, reached a definitive and tragic conclusion. His ordeal within the Scottish legal system was swift, characteristic of the intense period of witch-hunting that surged throughout the country during the mid-17th century. On that same summer day, Gilbert was brought before the authorities to answer to charges of witchcraft, a process that culminated in his formal confession.
Following this judicial examination, Gilbert was sentenced to death. The legal records confirm that the sentence was carried out immediately, resulting in his execution by burning. This case, documented under the archives of the High Court of Justiciary and the local Liberton proceedings, stands as a stark testament to the judicial climate of 1661, where the gravity of the accusations led to the finality of the stake for Gilbert.