In February 1659, Jean Sydserff, a resident of Haddington, became the subject of legal proceedings concerning allegations of witchcraft. On the 21st of that month, a court of Justices of the Peace was convened to hear the case against her. The records indicate that the court was formally fenced, a procedural step signifying the opening of a legal session, and notably, the Justices reached a verdict of guilty without the intervention of a jury. The indictment against Jean, which remains undated, specified charges that included her participation in a meeting of witches. Following the verdict, the court ordered that she be transported to Edinburgh by the 1st of March 1659 for the purpose of sentencing.
The legal trajectory of the case suggests a prolonged period of detention or administrative processing, as Jean remained in custody long after the initial trial date. Records from the Tolbooth in Edinburgh confirm that a formal confession was extracted from her on the 21st of August 1659. This document serves as the final piece of evidence in the preserved record of her prosecution, marking the culmination of the legal process initiated in Haddington earlier that year.