In the spring of 1591, the legal records of Haddington identify an individual named Bessie Gulane as the subject of a formal judicial inquiry concerning witchcraft. Her case, documented under the reference C/EGD/86, proceeded through the courts on the 8th of April of that year. While some later scholars, such as Christina Larner, have noted a potential ambiguity in the archival transcription regarding her surname—suggesting the possibility of the name Cowane—the primary records consistently categorize her under the name Gulane.
The subsequent proceedings against Bessie are further confirmed by the archival entry T/LA/958, which details her trial. These records, while sparse, situate her within the specific legal framework of late sixteenth-century Scotland, a period marked by intensified scrutiny regarding supernatural allegations. Her case remains a documented instance of the judicial processes active in East Lothian during this era, reflecting the administrative thoroughness with which such accusations were handled by the local courts.