The records of Margaret Duncan's case provide a glimpse into the fraught climate of early 18th-century Scotland, where accusations of witchcraft could upend the lives of even those of middling status and relatively prosperous backgrounds. Margaret, a widow residing in Glasgow, found herself ensnared in the web of witch trials that persisted despite the dawning of a new century. Her late husband was noted as a merchant, a detail that situates her in a household that likely provided a measure of stability and respectability, yet such status offered little immunity from the swirling accusations of witchcraft.
Margaret Duncan was denounced by two young girls, Margaret Laird from Paisley and Margaret Murdoch from Govan, serving as the initial spark for the legal proceedings against her. Both girls claimed they were tormented by witches, and during their fits, they accused multiple individuals, Margaret Duncan among them. The records, particularly from Laird's fits in Paisley and Murdoch's testimony in Glasgow in April 1699, paint a portrait not only of social hysteria but of the gravity given to such expressions of distress. It appears these testimonies relied heavily on the accounts of witnesses who observed these fits and listened to the claims made within them.
Despite the serious nature of the accusations, the legal outcomes for Margaret Duncan hint at a justice system grappling with the complexities of such cases. A trial was initially set to take place in Glasgow in May of 1699 but intriguingly did not proceed, and eventually, the High Court in Edinburgh saw the diet deserted in March 1700. Conclusively, Margaret was released, suggesting that the charges against her were either deemed unsubstantiated or not pursued with the rigor that some of the earlier witch trials endured. This cessation of proceedings reflects a broader shift in the treatment and intensity of witchcraft trials as the 18th century progressed. Margaret Duncan's story, pieced together from these records, stands as a testament to those caught amid societal fears and the evolving landscape of Scottish jurisprudence.