Elspeth Cuninghame, a resident of Ayr, first drew the attention of the authorities in the spring of 1658. On April 6 of that year, the legal proceedings against her commenced, marked by a detailed dittay and the gathering of a significant number of witnesses—a cohort comprising 21 men and 13 women. During this initial stage, the Justice of the Peace was tasked with investigating the allegations against her and reporting his findings to the court. Elspeth remained bound by the legal process for a full year, as evidenced by two separate porteous rolls, the first of which had summoned her alongside a larger group of individuals for trial in 1658.
The legal journey concluded in the tolbooth of Ayr, where Elspeth faced her final trial on March 29 and 30, 1659. The charges brought against her were grave, involving accusations of *maleficium*—specifically pertaining to the damage of ale—and participation in a witches' meeting. Following the presentation of the evidence and the testimony of the witnesses previously assembled, the court returned a verdict of guilty. Consequently, Elspeth was sentenced to death; the execution was carried out by strangulation followed by burning.