In the late 16th century, amidst the widespread fear and suspicion that defined the Scottish witch trials, Duncan Buchquahanne found himself embroiled in the turmoil of a society seeking to root out the supernatural influences it believed were threatening its very fabric. Residing in the town of Haddington, Duncan's life took a drastic turn on the 8th of May, 1591, as historical records mark the initiation of a formal case against him, identified under the designation C/EGD/88.
The circumstances leading to Duncan’s accusation remain elusive, buried under the passage of time and the scant preservation of records. However, his case, like many of the period, was pursued with determination, leading to a trial, referenced as T/LA/956. This was a time characterized by fervent beliefs in witchcraft's malevolent potential and a legal system primed to tackle such accusations with seriousness. Though details of his trial are sparse in the surviving documents, the records underscore the pervasiveness of witchcraft fears in Haddington and elsewhere in Scotland during this turbulent century. Duncan's ordeal is a testament to the pervasive atmosphere of suspicion and the complex legal entanglements faced by those accused of witchcraft during early modern Scotland's darker chapters.