Trial T/JO/618
Trial Summary
| Trial Ref | T/JO/618 |
|---|---|
| Case | Weir,Bessie |
| Accused | Bessie Weir |
| Trial Date | 14/2/1677 |
Location
| Parish | P/ST/1328 |
|---|---|
| Presbytery | Paisley |
| County | Renfrew |
| Burgh | Paisley |
Outcome
| Verdict | Guilty |
|---|---|
| Sentence | Execution |
| Defence | No |
| High Status | Yes |
| Female Accusers | 0 |
|---|---|
| Male Accusers | 7 |
Executed
Method: Strangle & Burn
Date: 20/2/1677
Place: Gallow Green
Method: Strangle & Burn
Date: 20/2/1677
Place: Gallow Green
Pre-Trial
| Arrest | Yes |
|---|---|
| Fled | Yes |
| Confronting Suspects | No |
Notes: Commission for trial issued although suspect already imprisoned. Commission specified no torture. The text is in JC10/4. Weir escaped from prison and fled to the parish of Carmanack (?Kilmarnock) where she pretended to be Bessie Aikin, married to a man named Chrystie in Glasgow.
| Date | Prison | Location | Fate in Prison |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1/1677 | Tolbooth | Paisley |
| Date | Body | Type | Seal |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18/1/1677 | Privy Council | Justiciary | signet |
| Name | Title | Involvement | Witch Pricker |
|---|---|---|---|
| Robert Alexander | of Blackhouse | Prosecutor | — |
| George Ross | Lord Ross | Judge | — |
Trial Notes
She had a Privy Council commission for trial, and was tried in front of what looks like a local trial with central representation. Edinburgh officials were sent out to the trial, and the trial appears in the minute books of the circuit court.
Post-Trial Notes
between 2-4 in the afternoon