In a time when superstition and fear often mingled with the everyday lives of the Scottish people, one finds the story of Cummer Muttoun, a resident of Aberdeen. The records, dated December 14, 1626, provide a glimpse into Cummer's life during a period fraught with suspicion of witchcraft. The name "Cummer," although uncommon today, suggests a familial or matronly status, perhaps indicative of her standing in the local community.
Cummer Muttoun's case fell under the purview of local authorities as part of the broader witch trials that swept through Scotland from 1563 to 1736. Historical records, reflected in the case and trial documentation, indicate that she came under scrutiny as part of case number C/EGD/980, which led to her trial, annotated as T/LA/449. Such trials were common manifestations of the anxiety that pervaded early modern Scottish society, where accusations could stem from simple neighborly disputes or deep-seated societal fears of the supernatural.
Though the records provide no specifics of the charges laid against Cummer Muttoun or the outcome of her trial, her story is emblematic of the many individuals whose lives were irrevocably altered by accusations of witchcraft. In reflecting upon Cummer Muttoun’s experience in Aberdeen, we gain insight into the precarious nature of life during this turbulent chapter of Scottish history, where the line between the ordinary and the extraordinary was often blurred by fear and uncertainty.