In the turbulent autumn of 1679, the shadow of suspicion fell upon Katharin Smith, a resident of Mortonhall, Edinburgh. Her name appeared in the records of the Edinburgh porteous roll, a document cataloging those charged with serious offences, amidst accusations of witchcraft, sorcery, and necromancy—charges that were not uncommon in the fervent climate of the Scottish witch trials. The allegations suggested a grave betrayal of spiritual norms, claiming that Katharin had renounced her baptism and surrendered her very being, both body and soul, to the Devil.
As was the custom of the time, her trial took place in Edinburgh, a city that, even then, sat at the heart of Scotland's legal and ecclesiastical power. Listed under the portentous term "delinquent dittays," her case formed part of a broader societal response to anxieties over heresy and perceived pacts with darker forces. While the records do not expound upon the precise circumstances or evidence brought against her, Katharin's inclusion on the roll paints a stark picture of a woman entangled in an era rife with fear and superstition, navigating accusations that could carry dire consequences.