In the autumn of 1649, Margaret Whyte, a resident of Overhartstaine in Peebles, became the subject of legal proceedings regarding allegations of witchcraft. Her case, documented under reference C/EGD/2021, reached a critical juncture on the 6th of November that year. While historical records remain sparse regarding the specific nature of the charges brought against her, the administrative trail identifies Margaret as the individual subject to trial proceedings recorded under reference T/LA/2039.
Archival evidence suggests that Margaret may be the same person as the Margaret White recorded in earlier documents from 1649 (reference C/JO/2816). The existence of these cross-referenced entries points to a period of intense scrutiny during the mid-seventeenth century, a time when the legal and ecclesiastical machinery of Scotland was heavily engaged in the adjudication of such cases. Though the final outcome of her trial remains obscured by the passage of time, the documentation of Margaret’s case serves as a fragment of the broader judicial landscape that defined this volatile era in Peebles.