In April 1647, Margaret Alexander, a 55-year-old married woman residing in Livingston, Linlithgow, faced the full weight of the judicial processes governing witchcraft in early modern Scotland. Her circumstances suggest a life of hardship; historical records indicate that both Margaret and her husband likely lived as paupers. Her involvement with the legal system began in March 1647, when she offered a confession within the walls of her local church. In this testimony, she spoke of events that had transpired approximately three decades prior, admitting to charges that included *maleficium*—the practice of harmful magic—and attendance at a witches' meeting.
Following her confession, the judicial response was swift and localized. While historical records contain no surviving details regarding a formal court trial, the legal outcome for Margaret was final. The case file notes that she was executed in April 1647, mere weeks after her confession was documented. Notably, the execution appears to have been carried out without the involvement or oversight of central judicial authorities, reflecting the autonomous nature of many witch trials conducted at the parish or local level during this period.