In January of 1662, Christian Cuthbertson, a resident of Queensferry in the county of Linlithgow, became entangled in the fervent hunts for witches that characterized much of early modern Scotland. The trial records, classified under the case name C/EGD/1447, provide scant details about the proceedings or specific accusations leveled against Christian. However, key insights can be gleaned from the confession records associated with her case. These documents indicate that a confession was indeed recorded in the same month her trial took place, suggesting that the interrogators extracted or received an admission of witchcraft-related activities from Christian.
The circumstances surrounding Christian's confession are not documented, leaving a void in understanding the nature of her alleged offenses or the methods by which the confession was obtained. During this era, confessions were often secured through methods that ranged from persuasive interrogation to coercion. Nonetheless, the lack of detailed trial notes, as indicated in the records under the classification T/JO/835, leaves historians with little to no context about the specific charges that Christian faced or the judicial decisions rendered. Christian Cuthbertson’s ordeal stands as a fragmentary testament to the turbulent period in Scottish history when fear and suspicion often paved the way to tragic outcomes for those accused of witchcraft.