In the autumn of 1649, the judicial machinery of Peebles turned its focus toward Marioun Robiesone, a married woman residing in the parish of Kirkurd. Her involvement in the legal proceedings began in earnest on October 23, 1649, when a confession was recorded against her. The nature of the accusations brought before the authorities centered on her alleged participation in a witches' meeting, a charge that underscored the grave concerns of the local presbytery regarding spiritual and social order. By November 21, 1649, formal notes were entered within the presbytery records to confirm that a trial would proceed in Peebles to address these grave allegations.
The legal jeopardy faced by Marioun was heavily compounded by the testimony of her contemporaries. Throughout the concurrent judicial processes, she was repeatedly denounced by other women swept up in the investigations, including Marion Veitch, Elspet Grahame, Janet Broun, and Issobell Alexander. Furthermore, the court records explicitly identified Nicolas Inglis as an accomplice, suggesting that the authorities viewed Marioun not as an isolated figure, but as one integrated into a broader, interconnected web of accused individuals. These testimonies served to solidify the focus of the court on Marioun as she awaited the final determinations of the trial process at Peebles.
