In May of 1640, the judicial records of Selkirk mark the initiation of a formal legal inquiry into the life of Margaret Turnbull, a resident of the parish of Lilliesleaf. At a time when the Scottish kirk and state were intensifying their scrutiny of perceived supernatural activity, Margaret was brought before the authorities to account for allegations of witchcraft under the statutes then governing the realm. The documented proceedings, catalogued under reference C/EGD/1833, offer a brief but significant glimpse into the legal mechanisms applied to women living within the rural communities of the Scottish Borders during the mid-seventeenth century.
The surviving entry for Margaret provides little detail regarding the specific charges leveled against her, focusing instead on the procedural record of her case as it unfolded on the 4th of May. While the broader historical context of the 1640s saw a rise in such trials across Scotland, the record for Margaret serves as a singular point of focus for researchers examining the application of the Witchcraft Act of 1563 within the jurisdiction of Selkirk. By situating her within the administrative frameworks of the period, these notes underscore the vulnerability of individuals like Margaret to the prevailing religious and legal anxieties that defined the era.