In the spring of 1662, the town of Haddington became the site of a series of legal proceedings precipitated by the testimony of a young boy named James Welch. Though authorities deemed James too young to stand trial himself, his detailed confessions and subsequent denunciations were treated with significant gravity by the legal officials of the time. Among those identified by James was Beigis Sanderson, a resident of Haddington whose fate became inextricably linked to the allegations contained within these official reports.
Following the accusations brought forth by James on April 17, 1662, Beigis was drawn into the formal machinery of the Scottish justice system. As recorded in the case notes of the court proceedings, her name was entered into the official register under reference C/EGD/513, marking the beginning of her legal involvement in the witch trials of the period. Beigis faced the scrutiny of the authorities during a time when the testimony of a denouncer, regardless of age, held profound weight in the pursuit of those suspected of witchcraft.