In the turbulent climate of 17th-century Scotland, amidst a backdrop of fear and superstition, Bessie Weir of Polloktoun, Paisley found herself at the heart of a witchcraft accusation that would ultimately seal her fate. Married and residing in the parish of Renfrew, Bessie was indicted on charges of maleficium, or harmful magic, and attending witches' meetings—a grave accusation during a time when witchcraft was seen as a genuine threat to societal and religious order. Her trial unfolded in the shadow of the Privy Council’s authority, held on the 14th of February, 1677, in Renfrew. Edinburgh officials were dispatched to oversee the proceedings, underscoring the perceived seriousness of her case, which was recorded in the minute books of the circuit court.
Despite the presence of central representatives at her trial, the prevailing societal fears of witchcraft, coupled with the legal and ecclesiastical systems that endorsed such trials, led to a guilty verdict. Bessie Weir was sentenced to execution by strangulation and burning, a method indicative of Scotland's harsh punitive measures for those convicted of witchcraft. Her execution took place on the 20th of February, 1677, at Gallow Green—a site often associated with the grim realities of 17th-century justice. The swiftness of the trial and execution highlights the urgency and severity with which alleged witchcraft was addressed, reflecting the weight of fear that shaped such proceedings and the dire consequences faced by those ensnared in its grip.