In 1655, the turbulent atmosphere of witch trials in Scotland ensnared many individuals, and among them was Bessie Andro from Wick, a coastal town in Caithness. Known through historical records primarily from a fugitive list, Bessie’s case stands as a testament to the era's complexities and the fear surrounding witchcraft. The records, particularly referenced by Larner et al. in their Source-book, note her as a fugitive, though details of her alleged crimes or the specifics of her accusation remain unknown.
Bessie Andro’s case made its way to a circuit court, an institution established to deliver justice to more remote regions of the country, indicating the seriousness with which such accusations were treated. Despite the lack of explicit details in the surviving records, the presence of Bessie’s name on a fugitive list suggests she either escaped her pursuers or was absent when summoned, a common occurrence when accused individuals, facing severe penalties and social ostracism, fled in fear of their lives. The lack of an outcome in the records preserved today leaves Bessie’s fate unresolved, emblematic of many who were caught in the whirlwind of Scotland's witch trials during this period.