In the spring of 1659, the legal records of Dumfries document the formal process initiated against Robert Short. While some administrative notations initially identified his residence as the wider region of Galloway, the specific classification of the case—indexed under reference C/LA/3128—firmly anchors his proceedings within the jurisdiction of Dumfries. This entry serves as a stark administrative marker of the formal scrutiny he faced during a period of heightened judicial activity regarding perceived maleficium in the Scottish Lowlands.
The progression of the case is confirmed by the subsequent trial record, cataloged as T/LA/1566, dated April 22, 1659. Beyond the existence of these logistical markers, the archives remain silent on the specific testimonies or nature of the allegations brought against Robert. His case remains a notable fragment of the mid-seventeenth-century judicial landscape in Dumfries, reflecting the systematic documentation employed by the authorities as they processed those brought before the courts on charges of witchcraft.