In the summer of 1590, the judicial machinery of Aberdeen turned toward Barbara Keand, a woman whose legal proceedings would culminate in her condemnation for the crime of witchcraft. The records of the period capture the final stages of her experience within the town’s punitive system, tracking her through a series of formal interrogations. On June 17, 1590, Barbara was held within the Tolbooth, where she provided a statement following the initial verdict against her. This document serves as a somber anchor for her case, marking the intersection of her testimony and the state’s rigorous legal process during the late sixteenth century.
The gravity of her situation remained unchanged as the summer progressed, with further documentation confirming that she provided an additional confession on August 17, 1590. This secondary record, preserved within the archives of the Tolbooth, reflects the final testimonies extracted or offered during the weeks following her initial condemnation. Throughout these months, the judicial narrative surrounding Barbara remained focused on these recorded admissions, which remain the primary historical traces of her experience in the aftermath of her trial.