Margaret Alexander, a woman of landless status, navigated a perilous chapter of early modern Scotland's complex landscape when she became embroiled in the witchcraft trials of the late 17th century. Residing in Paisley, Renfrew, Margaret's life was marked by transience and lack of property, surviving through the impoverished means of begging. Her name surfaces in records from 1700 as part of a broader wave of witchcraft accusations sweeping the area. The accusations against her were primarily voiced by two young women, Margaret Laird and Margaret Murdoch, both claiming they were tormented by witches.
The catalyst for Margaret Alexander's trial began with a series of fits experienced by Laird and Murdoch. During these episodes, both girls named several individuals, including Alexander, as their tormentors. Their statements, originating in Paisley and further testimonies in Glasgow, were pivotal in the legal proceedings that followed. Despite being formally denounced and facing serious allegations, the evidence primarily rested on the intense and, perhaps, unreliable declarations made during the girls' distressing fits.
The case against Margaret culminated in a trial held in Edinburgh on 12 March 1700, with insights drawn from earlier witness statements and a formal charge, or dittay, prepared in April 1699. Initially set for trial in Glasgow the previous year, the proceedings were delayed repeatedly, ultimately never bringing the anticipated judicial closure. In the end, perhaps due to the waning fervor of witch hunts or insufficient corroborative evidence, the court deserted her diet, effectively releasing Margaret Alexander without conviction in a legal climate known for few acquittals. Her life, therefore, serves as a testament to the turbulent and often capricious nature of the Scottish witch trials and the fragile existence of the marginally situated during this era.