In August 1656, the legal machinery of seventeenth-century Scotland was set in motion against Agnes Pryde, a resident of Coupar in Perth. Following her apprehension, Agnes was brought before authorities in Perth, where the judicial proceedings against her were recorded under case file C/EGD/228. During the course of these proceedings, a confession was extracted from her, the details of which linked her to the clandestine activity of attending a witches' meeting—a charge that, in the prevailing theological and legal climate of the period, carried the gravest implications for the accused.
Despite the existence of this confession, the legal process reached a definitive conclusion on August 26, 1656. During her trial, the assize—the jury tasked with weighing the evidence—determined that there was no proof of *malefice*, or harmful magical intent, linked to her actions. Consequently, the court returned a verdict of "Not Guilty" for Agnes. This outcome underscores the nuances of the Scottish judicial system during this era, where the presence of a confession did not always guarantee a conviction in the absence of tangible evidence of injury or harm caused by the accused.