In September 1679, an individual identified in the legal records as John Corsbie, a resident of Lintley in the parish of Bunkle, Berwickshire, was brought before the circuit court at Berwick. Although the archival documentation for case C/LA/3090 records John as female, the administrative shorthand of the period categorized the appearance under the designation of a "delinquent." The proceedings on September 16th were not the conclusion of a lengthy prosecution but rather a preliminary appearance, as John was formally instructed to return to court whenever summoned by the authorities.
The subsequent history of this case remains brief and somber. The official record of the proceedings, T/LA/1489, notes that John was expected to appear again when called; however, the physical evidence of the Porteous roll—the list of individuals to be tried at the circuit courts—offers a final, stark update. Beside John’s name, the single word "dead" was inscribed, signifying that the legal process was halted by the individual's passing before any further judicial action could be taken.