In the summer of 1661, the records from Newbattle, a parish not far from Edinburgh, reveal a case involving Geills Chartes, a woman accused of engaging in a pact with the demonic forces alleged to be at the root of her charges. According to the historical records, this case of witchcraft bears the registration C/JO/3151, with the accusations first formally heard on the 23rd of June that year. While details of her life prior to these accusations remain sparse within the archives, it is clear that Geills found herself ensnared in the socio-religious upheaval characteristic of mid-17th century Scotland, amidst a period fraught with fear of the supernatural and increased scrutiny of alleged witchcraft activities.
The charges against Geills were most notably marked by an allegation of forming a demonic pact—a grave accusation in a time when the understanding of witchcraft greatly intertwined with notions of heresy and diabolical allegiance. The records also hint at property damage, particularly concerning animals, which perhaps added weight to concerns over her purportedly malign influence. This aspect of the trial underscores the intersection of agricultural communities and the pernicious elements they believed to surround them and their livelihoods. The occurrence of two separate trials under listings T/JO/1663 and T/JO/2230 indicates that her case underwent significant judicial attention, reflective of both the serious nature of the accusations and the legal processes through which such cases were navigated.
Geills Chartes' story, pieced together from these fragmented accounts, fits into the broader narrative of the Scottish witch hunts, where societal fears and legal frameworks collided, leaving records of individuals who, like Geills, faced charges that were sometimes as enigmatic as they were severe. While modern eyes can only glimpse her life through these documents, her experience echoes the pervasive anxiety and complex dynamics of her time, illustrating the challenging landscape in which many lived under the shadow of suspicion and denunciation.