Trial Details
T/LA/320 Margaret Hutchison
- Name of the accused
- Margaret Hutchison
- Associated case
- C/EGD/401 (18/9/1661)
- Trial process type
- Central Court
| associated trials | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| trial reference | accused | trial type | trial year | trial place |
| T/LA/261 | Jonet Miller | Central Court | 1661 | Edinburgh |
| T/LA/312 | Jonet Ker | Central Court | 1661 | Edinburgh |
| T/LA/318 | Helen Casse | Central Court | 1661 | Edinburgh |
| T/LA/319 | Isobel Ramsay | Central Court | 1661 | Edinburgh |
Pre-trial actions
| commissions | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| commission body | type | date | seal | notes |
| no recorded commission | ||||
| previous commissions | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| commission body | date | |||
| no recorded prior commission | ||||
| appeals | ||
|---|---|---|
| central authority | reason | appeal date |
| no recorded appeals | ||
| complaints | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| type | date of complaint | lodged at | appeal date | complainent | involvement |
| Family member | None | None | |||
| move to higher legal authority | |
|---|---|
| moved to | date of move |
| no recorded move to higher legal authority | |
| denunciations | |
|---|---|
| denuncation date | dated |
| no recorded denunciations | |
| imprisonments | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| incarceration date | central trial imprison | prison | location | moving |
| no recorded imprisonments | ||||
| tortures | |
|---|---|
| date of torture | torture type |
| None | None |
| ordeals | |
|---|---|
| date of ordeal | ordeal type |
| no recorded ordeals | |
| confessions | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| central trial confession | date | location | notes |
| no | 28/7/1661 | Duddingston | None |
other information
- Pre-trial notes
- Denied all charges. When she was tortured. She told people to beware, 'she had gotten her heart will on'. A few observers later died.
- watched?
- no
- watch date
- no information
- arrested?
- no
- arrest date
- no information
- fled?
- no
- date absconded
- no information
- action dropped?
- no
- action dropped date
- no information
- action dropped by
- no information
- trial action body
- no information
- confronting suspects?
- no
Trial phase
- trial date
- 20/8/1661
- trial place
- no information
place of trial
- settlement
- Edinburgh
- parish
- no information
- presbytery
- no information
- county
- no information
- burgh
- no information
verdict
- verdict
- Not Guilty
- defence
- yes
- female accusers
- 2
- male accusers
- 8
- recorded as high status?
- no
- order for central judiciary trial
- no
- judiciary trial date
- no information
- circuit court (mixed central and local)
- no
- circuit name
- no information
- local court with central representatives
- no
- trial notes
- The assize was ordered to reappear on the 27/8/1661 to read their verdict again. Unclear why, maybe they were supposed to change their verdict? They were mostly from Edinburgh, not her locality. The first verdict from the trial was not guilty, the second verdict on 10/9/1661 was guilty. (see second trial for details)
| persons associated with the trial | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| name | title | office | occupation | involvement | witchpricker? | notes |
| Nathaniel Fife | Mr | None | advocate | Defence | no | Involved in cases in 1661-2. Was defence advocate. |
| William Brodie | None | None | None | Defence | no | Involved in trial in 1661. |
| David Dunmure | Mr | substitute to lord's advocate | advocate | Prosecutor | no | Involved in cases and trials in 1661. |
| John Mowbray | None | None | merchant | Chancellor | no | Involved in trials in 1661. |
Post-trial phase
- sentence
- no information
- executed?
- yes
- execution date
- 18/9/1661
- execution place
- no information
- execution method
- Strangle & Burn
- post trial notes
- The verdict was still disputed. The assize was ordered to appear on 10/9/1661 to give the verdict. She was to be executed between 3-4pm in Wester Duddingston
| other named witches | ||
|---|---|---|
| name | trial link | accused link |
| Isobel Ramsay | T/JO/398 | A/EGD/391 |
| John Scot | T/LA/316 | A/LA/2678 |
| Issobell Robiesone | T/LA/314 | A/EGD/386 |
| Margaret Hart | T/LA/317 | A/LA/2679 |
| Agnes Bartill | T/LA/315 | A/LA/2677 |
| Marjorie Fairwell | T/LA/313 | A/EGD/384 |
Mentioned as a witch
| mentioned as a witch | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| type | name | mention date | fate | linked trialdate | trial link | notes |
| no mentions | ||||||