Agnes Thomson, a resident of Overkeith in the parish of Humbie, Haddington, found herself at the center of accusations of witchcraft in the late 17th century, a period marked by intense scrutiny and fear of witchcraft across Scotland. The records indicate her case came to a head on the 13th of September, 1678, when she was summoned to appear for trial in Edinburgh. Agnes's trial was documented under two separate trial records on the same date (T/LA/818 and T/LA/839), highlighting the official attention the case had garnered.
Despite the seriousness of the charges against her, Agnes did not present herself before the court on the appointed day. Her failure to appear led to her being declared a fugitive, a stark designation that had significant consequences. The legal system of the time responded to her absence with the decision to "put to the horn," an archaic term denoting that she was declared an outlaw. This proclamation effectively meant that she was beyond the protection of the law and at the mercy of those who might seek to bring her to justice outside of official judicial proceedings.
Agnes’s case reflects the broader societal tensions and the precarious position of individuals accused of witchcraft during this era. Her status as a fugitive suggests that whether out of fear, denial of the charges, or perhaps another reason lost to history, she chose a path that ultimately led her into a life marred by the threat of capture and further prosecution. Her absence from the trial left the allegations unchallenged, underscoring the often stark choices faced by those swept up in the witch hunts of 17th-century Scotland.