On December 18, 1620, the judicial machinery of Perth turned its focus toward a resident of the city named James Stewart. The proceedings, documented under reference C/EGD/2229, marked a moment of profound legal consequence for James, placing him within the administrative framework of the Scottish witch trials. During this period, the mechanisms of the state and local kirk sessions were increasingly mobilized to investigate reports of maleficium, and James became one of the many individuals subjected to the rigorous scrutiny of these early modern courts.
The historical record for James remains constrained to these foundational details, reflecting the limitations often encountered when examining the bureaucratic documentation of the era. While the specific nature of the accusations levied against him remains outside the scope of the extant notes, his inclusion in the judicial registers serves as a testament to the persistent anxiety surrounding witchcraft in 17th-century Scotland. For James, as for so many others caught in the web of the 1563 Act, the date of his examination in Perth represents a pivotal encounter with the legal and theological authorities of his time.