Trial Details
T/LA/1295 Bessie Paton
- Name of the accused
- Bessie Paton
- Associated case
- C/EGD/292 (3/9/1658)
- Trial process type
- Mixed Central/Local Court
| associated trials | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| trial reference | accused | trial type | trial year | trial place |
| no recorded trials | ||||
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 |
| no recorded complaints | |||||
| 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 |
| 6/1658 | no | None | Alloa | no |
| 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 recorded confessions | |||
other information
- Pre-trial notes
- 23/6/1658 investigated by the presbytery. Accusations stemmed from confessions by Margaret Duchill and Margaret Talzeor. Paton denied all the charges. She was confronted by Talzeor and Remy. On 19/7/1658 the JPs investigated allegations of extrajudicial torture and burning with hot stones. They did not do anything.
- watched?
- no
- watch date
- no information
- arrested?
- yes
- 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?
- yes
Trial phase
- trial date
- no information
- trial place
- no information
place of trial
- settlement
- no information
- parish
- no information
- presbytery
- no information
- county
- no information
- burgh
- no information
verdict
- verdict
- no information
- defence
- no
- female accusers
- 0
- male accusers
- 14
- 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
- Assize ordered to go to Edinburgh for 3/8/1658 for trial of Alloway/Alloa witches, (I don't think the trial happened there?)
| persons associated with the trial | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| name | title | office | occupation | involvement | witchpricker? | notes |
| no recorded additional persons | ||||||
Post-trial phase
- sentence
- no information
- executed?
- no
- execution date
- no information
- execution place
- no information
- execution method
- no information
- post trial notes
- None
| other named witches | ||
|---|---|---|
| name | trial link | accused link |
| Margaret Tailyeor | T/LA/1296 | A/EGD/283 |
| Sybilla Drummond | T/JO/1483 | A/JO/2948 |
| Elizabeth Black | T/JO/1472 | A/EGD/285 |
| Kathrin Black | T/JO/1482 | A/EGD/288 |
| Janet Reid | T/LA/1611 | A/EGD/276 |
| Barbara Erskyne | T/JO/1479 | A/EGD/344 |
| Kathrine Kay | T/JO/1484 | A/JO/2949 |
| Margaret Duchill | T/JO/1471 | A/EGD/286 |
| Kathrine Remy | T/LA/1294 | A/EGD/280 |
| Jonet Black | T/JO/1478 | A/EGD/282 |
Mentioned as a witch
| mentioned as a witch | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| type | name | mention date | fate | linked trialdate | trial link | notes |
| no mentions | ||||||