Beigs Wallace, a resident of Preston within the parish of Prestonpans, Haddington, became caught in the legal machinery of the Scottish witch trials during the early seventeenth century. Official records indicate that a commission for her trial was formally issued on 21 August 1629. Although the precise chronology of her proceedings remains somewhat obscured—with later documents from her daughter’s 1649 trial suggesting a timeline that conflicts with the 1629 commission—the ultimate conclusion of her case was recorded with finality. Beigs was found guilty and sentenced to be executed by fire.
The circumstances surrounding the case were marked by familial and communal discord. During the judicial process, Beigs denounced her own daughter, drawing the younger woman into the reach of the law as well. This connection is further evidenced in the records of Jeane Craig, who specifically named Beigs as one of those she denounced during her own legal proceedings. Together, these archival fragments illustrate the interconnected nature of these accusations, where individuals were frequently linked through testimonies that reached across households and local social networks.