Nicolas Lauson, a woman of middling socioeconomic status, resided with her husband, a farmer, in the coastal village of Pittenweem in Fife. Her life took a drastic turn when she became embroiled in the witchcraft proceedings that swept through Scotland in the early 18th century. Accusations against Nicolas centered around a notorious case of alleged possession involving a young local resident, sixteen-year-old Patrick Morton, the son of a village smith. Along with six others, Nicolas was charged with participating in a witches' meeting reportedly responsible for Morton's torment. The case drew the attention of prominent authorities, echoing the earlier case of 'Bargarrans daughter' in the west, and resulted in the involvement of Sir James Stewart, Her Majesty's Advocate, who was tasked with prosecuting the accused on behalf of the Privy Council.
The judicial process involving Nicolas unveiled a convoluted path, complicated by delays and procedural extensions. Initially, the Privy Council ordered her trial to occur locally under the supervision of the Lord Advocate, with records indicating a series of formal cautions and arrests leading into 1709. Despite these procedural efforts, the historical documentation falls short of recording the final verdict of these proceedings. What is known is that a caution was set in October 1708, directing the accused to appear at the next circuit court, and subsequent actions included a new porteous roll early in 1709, followed by an arrest and scheduled trial, though the conclusion remains note elusive in the surviving records. Nicolas’s case is further referenced in confessions dating back to 1704, as well as in the testimony of other accused individuals, including Janet Horseburgh and Janet Cornfoot, suggesting a network of accusations and communal suspicion that painted a grim picture of the small Scottish community during this period.