The somewhat elusive figure of Alisoun Baillie emerges from the records primarily as a name linked to the witchcraft accusations that swept through Scotland in the 16th and 17th centuries. Residing in Dalkeith, a town near Edinburgh known for its picturesque landscape and proximity to the Scottish capital, Alisoun found herself ensnared in the turbulent episode of 1633, as documented in case C/JO/2795. Little is detailed regarding the nature of the accusations or the circumstances leading to them. The lack of specifics in the historical record about her life, her standing within her community, or the particulars of the charges levied against her, leaves much to the imagination about how these events unfolded.
Despite the gravity of the accusation, the records—a somewhat terse entry dated January 31, 1633—indicate that while Alisoun’s name was associated with a witchcraft case, she did not face the harrowing ordeal of a trial, as noted in trial document T/JO/343. The absence of a trial might have spared her the dire consequences that befell many accused in this era—a fate often determined by societal fears and legal processes of the day. The lack of further documentation calls attention to the unknown aspects of her fate and underscores the gaps in the historical narrative of those caught in the web of witchcraft accusations during this period. Alisoun Baillie's story, albeit fragmentary, nonetheless forms a poignant chapter in the broader historical canvas of the Scottish witch trials.