In the winter of 1659, the legal machinery of East Lothian converged upon Alleson Fermor, a resident of Haddington. Her case began in earnest on February 21, when she appeared before Justices of the Peace in a formal court session that had been duly fenced, signifying the gravity of the proceedings. According to the surviving records, Alleson provided a confession while held within the confines of the Haddington Tolbooth. This testimony, combined with the charges brought against her—which prominently included participation in a witches’ meeting—formed the basis of the legal action taken by the local magistrates.
Unlike trials that relied upon the deliberations of a jury, the justices presiding over Alleson’s case reached a verdict of guilty themselves. An indictment, though undated, outlined the accusations that led to this conclusion. Following the conviction on February 21, the legal process necessitated that she be transported to Edinburgh for sentencing. On March 1, 1659, the final judgment was carried out; Alleson was executed by the method of strangulation and burning, marking the conclusion of the judicial record for case C/EGD/310.