In the spring of 1597, the judicial machinery of Aberdeen turned its attention toward Beak Taiss, a resident of Burnside of Logie. Recorded in legal registers under the alternate spelling of Tawis, Beak was brought before the authorities on the 25th of April, a period characterized by a heightened intensity in the prosecution of witchcraft across the northeast of Scotland. Her case, documented in the judicial records as C/JO/3089, reflects the systematic approach taken by local magistrates and kirk sessions during this tumultuous era.
The documentation surrounding the trial—referenced in the archives as T/JO/1499—marks the formal progression of these proceedings. While the specific nature of the allegations brought against her remain obscured by the brevity of the surviving entry, Beak’s appearance before the court serves as a somber testament to the social and legal pressures exerted upon women of her community. Her trial remains a distinct point in the chronological study of the Scottish witch-hunts, grounding the broader historical narrative of the 1563–1736 period in the tangible, albeit fragmented, reality of one individual’s encounter with the Scottish justice system.