Margaret Alexander’s life took a tumultuous turn when she was caught up in the fervor of witchcraft accusations that swept through Paisley and surrounding areas at the close of the 17th century. Living as a landless woman who resorted to begging, Margaret occupied a precarious social position which left her vulnerable to the whims of her community. It was amidst this uncertainty that she found herself accused by two young girls, Margaret Laird and Margaret Murdoch, who claimed to be victims of torment by witches. Their declarations, made during fits, implicated multiple individuals in their respective locales of Paisley and Govan, including Margaret Alexander.
The initial thrust of accusations came from witness statements gathered in April 1699, reflecting the hysterical atmosphere where community tensions could escalate swiftly. The testimonies given in Paisley and Glasgow depicted a scene of distressing convulsions and fevered denunciations, qualities typical of the witch trials of the period. Margaret Alexander, alongside others named, was ensnared in this web of fear and suspicion without clear evidence of her involvement beyond the frenzied claims.
Though a trial date was originally set for May 1699 in Glasgow, records indicate that the proceedings did not occur as planned. It wasn't until March 1700, nearly a year later, that Margaret's case was addressed in the High Court in Edinburgh. Ultimately, the trial concluded with her release, as the diet was deserted, signaling insufficient grounds to secure a conviction. Margaret Alexander’s case stands as a testament to the precariousness of life for the disenfranchised in early modern Scotland and underscores the often arbitrary and capricious nature of witchcraft accusations during this turbulent period.