In the spring of 1662, the judicial machinery of Haddington focused its attention upon Agnes Spens, an inhabitant of the burgh caught within the turbulent wake of a wider witch-hunt. Her involvement in the legal process was precipitated by the testimony of James Welch, a youth whose own narrative had drawn the scrutiny of the authorities. Although James was ultimately deemed too young to stand trial and was committed to prison, his depositions were treated with significant gravity by the local magistrates. Following the established protocols of the era, the confessions he provided served as the catalyst for the formal denunciation of Agnes and numerous others within the region.
The subsequent legal proceedings against Agnes, recorded under case file C/EGD/514 and trial reference T/LA/1333, highlight the administrative rigor applied to such accusations during this period. On April 17, 1662, Agnes became the subject of an official inquiry, marking her entry into the formal court records that defined the prosecution of witchcraft in 17th-century Scotland. While the surviving documentation focuses primarily on the procedural weight of the denunciations she faced, her case remains a testament to how the testimonies of individuals—even those excluded from the courtroom by virtue of age—could fundamentally alter the lives of those named in their accounts.