The historical record for Margaret Hay, a resident of the parish of St Giles in Elgin, places her within the broader legal framework of the Scottish witch trials that spanned from 1563 to 1736. Documentation indexed under case number C/EGD/2466 confirms that Margaret was formally processed through the judicial system of her time. While her entry remains brief, it stands as a testament to the ecclesiastical and secular scrutiny directed toward individuals in Elgin during this period of intense judicial activity.
Because the surviving evidence regarding Margaret is limited to this formal archival classification, her specific narrative remains tethered to the bureaucratic procedures of the era. The case notes acknowledge that while researchers have cataloged her appearance in historical references—notably those cited by Christina Larner—the depth of her personal ordeal is now defined by the preservation of this specific legal record. Through Margaret, we gain a glimpse into the administrative reality of a system that impacted many lives across the burghs of north-east Scotland, leaving behind a trace of her encounter with the law of the kirk and the crown.