In the late 16th century, amidst the swirling social and religious changes of early modern Scotland, Bessie Roy found herself entangled in the web of the notorious witch trials. Living in Fetterneir, Aberdeen, Bessie was a woman of modest means, serving as a nurse—possibly a wet nurse—to the Laird of Boquhane. Her life, seemingly enmeshed in the fabric of everyday rural community activities, saw her working alongside other women in tasks such as picking lint. For twelve years, she lived with a man who might be considered her common law husband; a detail that underscores the era's fluid social structures outside the bounds of formal marriage.
Despite her everyday existence, Bessie's associations extended beyond her immediate household. She worked for influential figures such as Leslie and Achinleck, who notably consulted her regarding witchcraft, an act that might have drawn unwanted attention and suspicion. Her connection to these individuals could suggest that her knowledge or skill, seen through the lens of the time, was both sought after and feared.
Bessie Roy's life shifted dramatically on the 18th of August, 1590, as she stood trial in Edinburgh, accused of witchcraft and cited as an accomplice by several others, including Jonet Grant, Janet Clark, Barbara Keand, Bessie Paull, and Marion Bruce. Despite these accusations, the trial concluded with a verdict of "Not Guilty," allowing Bessie to escape the horrific fate that claimed so many others during the witch hunts. Her acquittal, recorded in the historical annals of C/EGD/54 and T/LA/910, reflects the complexities of these trials, where fear, power, and personal grievances often intersected. Nonetheless, the records leave a poignant silence about Bessie's life after the trial, leaving us to ponder the lasting impact of these tumultuous events on her and her community.