Barbara Drummond, a married woman residing in the tenendry of Kilbryde in Stirling, found herself ensnared in the legal machinery of the Scottish witch trials during the mid-17th century. Her journey through the judicial system began in earnest by December 1664, when she faced proceedings in Edinburgh. However, the Privy Council eventually intervened, deserting the diet and remitting her case back to her home jurisdiction to be tried locally. This shift marked the beginning of a prolonged and uncertain period of legal limbo, during which the responsibility for her prosecution was passed between local commissioners, with additional officials appointed to her case as late as 1666.
Throughout her confinement, Barbara demonstrated a persistent resolve in navigating the bureaucracy of the Privy Council. The historical record highlights her repeated appeals to the Council, in which she petitioned for either a speedy trial or her outright release from imprisonment. These pleas underscored the frustrating lack of progress in her case, eventually compelling the Privy Council to demand that her appointed commissioners provide an explanation for the persistent delays. Finally, on May 7, 1667, the Council ordered Barbara's release, though the resolution remained incomplete; she was discharged with the explicit instruction that she must remain available to stand trial should the authorities call upon her again.