In the late summer of 1590, William Leslie, a man of considerable standing as a laird residing in Crechie, Creich, Aberdeen, found himself entangled in the turbulent religious and legal currents of early modern Scotland. A member of the social elite, William was married and positioned within a network of influential individuals, yet these connections could not wholly shield him from the widespread fear and suspicion surrounding witchcraft during this period. Alongside his wife, William faced accusations not of practicing witchcraft themselves but of the serious charge of consorting with those believed to wield such malevolent supernatural powers.
The judicial process commenced with the case being documented in Aberdeen on the 19th of August, 1590. It was decreed that William's trial would be held during the next justice aire, a periodic court session for serious cases. Notably, William Leslie’s defense was mounted by a cadre of powerful allies, including numerous lords and earls, reflecting both his social stature and perhaps the contentious nature of the allegations against him. This assemblage of noble prolocutors underscored the high stakes of the trial in the context of Scotland’s fraught relationship with witchcraft during this period. While the historical record does not detail the trial's outcome, William’s case illustrates the reach of witchcraft accusations beyond the peasantry to touch even those in the higher echelons of society.