In the waning days of the 17th century, a widow named Margaret Duncan found herself enmeshed in the grim specter of Scotland's witch hunts. Residing in Glasgow, Lanark, Margaret moved in middling social circles, having been married to a merchant who had passed away. Her life took a harrowing turn when two young women, Margaret Laird from Paisley and Margaret Murdoch from Govan, fell into fits they claimed were caused by witches. In these states, they conjured forth accusations that implicated several individuals, and among those denounced was Margaret Duncan.
As the accusations took root, they spread like wildfire, drawing Duncan into a web woven by fear and superstition. The testimonies given in Paisley and Glasgow, rife with the fevered denunciations of Laird and Murdoch, were supported by witnesses who attested to the tormented fits experienced by the girls. The escalation of these claims soon led to a trial being set for Margaret in May 1699. However, the records do not indicate that this trial ever proceeded.
Finally, on the 12th of March 1700 in Edinburgh, Margaret stood before the high court. Despite the damning nature of the dittays—essentially a formal charge sheet drawn from the previous year's accusations—the case against her did not hold. The trial concluded with the court deserting the diet, effectively marking an end to proceedings, and Margaret Duncan was released. Her story is a testament to the turbulence faced by many during the witch trials, where legal outcomes were as unpredictable as the events that precipitated them.