Trial Details
T/JO/82 Bessie Hepburne
- Name of the accused
- Bessie Hepburne
- Associated case
- C/EGD/1144 (1/6/1630)
- Trial process type
- Local Court
| associated trials | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| trial reference | accused | trial type | trial year | trial place |
| T/JO/78 | Bessie Duncan | Local Court | 1630 | P/JO/3539 Haddington Haddington |
| T/JO/79 | Alesoun Carrick | Local Court | 1630 | P/JO/3539 Haddington Haddington |
| T/JO/80 | Katherine Kirktoun | Local Court | 1630 | Haddington Haddington |
| T/JO/81 | Katherine Lawder | Local Court | 1630 | P/JO/3539 Haddington Haddington |
| T/JO/86 | Margaret Mitchell | Local Court | no information | |
| T/JO/87 | Bessie Lawder | Local Court | no information | |
| T/JO/88 | Agnes Sinclare | Local Court | no information | |
| T/JO/89 | Margaret Alexander | Local Court | no information | |
Pre-trial actions
| commissions | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| commission body | type | date | seal | notes |
| Privy Council | Investigation | 3/11/1629 | None | Commission to bring suspect to confront Alexander Hamilton in Edinburgh. |
| Privy Council | Investigation | 3/12/1629 | None | Commission to investigate case against suspect. |
| Privy Council | Arrest | 1/4/1630 | None | Commission for arrest of suspect at request of presbytery. |
| previous commissions | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| commission body | date | |||
| no recorded prior commission | ||||
| appeals | ||
|---|---|---|
| central authority | reason | appeal date |
| presbytery request arrest and warding | 1/4/1630 | |
| complaints | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| type | date of complaint | lodged at | appeal date | complainent | involvement |
| Suspect's | 1/6/1630 | Privy Council | |||
| move to higher legal authority | |
|---|---|
| moved to | date of move |
| no recorded move to higher legal authority | |
| denunciations | |
|---|---|
| denuncation date | dated |
| 22/9/1629 | Alexander Hammilton |
| imprisonments | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| incarceration date | central trial imprison | prison | location | moving |
| None | no | Tolbooth | Haddington | no |
| tortures | |
|---|---|
| date of torture | torture type |
| no recorded tortures | |
| ordeals | |
|---|---|
| date of ordeal | ordeal type |
| no recorded ordeals | |
| confessions | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| central trial confession | date | location | notes |
| no recorded confessions | |||
other information
- Pre-trial notes
- Charts PC involvement ordering confronting, investigation and arrest. Hepburne complained to PC about unlawful arrest. After consideration and payment of bail she was ordered to be released and to appear later (no date or details) to answer the charges against her.
- 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
- 0
- 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
- None
| 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 |
| Alexander Hammiltoun | T/LA/15 | A/EGD/155 |
Mentioned as a witch
| mentioned as a witch | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| type | name | mention date | fate | linked trialdate | trial link | notes |
| no mentions | ||||||