In the late sixteenth century, the burgh of Aberdeen became the setting for a wave of judicial proceedings against those accused of maleficium, a period of intensified scrutiny that saw many residents brought before the authorities. Among those named in the records of 1597 was Helene Makkie. Living within the close-knit social and legal framework of Aberdeen, Helene was formally drawn into the judicial process as part of the wider efforts by the local magistrates and ecclesiastical authorities to identify and prosecute individuals suspected of engaging in witchcraft.
The procedural journey for Helene is marked in the archival record by the case identification number C/EGD/2171, which catalogues her appearance during that year of heightened anxiety in the city. Her subsequent involvement in the formal legal system is further noted under trial reference T/JO/1954. These records signify her status as a subject of official inquiry, documenting the transition from her life in Aberdeen to the courtroom where the allegations brought against her were subjected to the standard judicial rigors of the era.