On October 25, 1577, the legal machinery of the Scottish judiciary focused its attention upon Alexander McKessak, a resident of Ross. Recorded under the archival reference C/JO/3361, Alexander was brought before the authorities to face formal proceedings regarding his alleged involvement in witchcraft. At a time when the legal framework established by the Witchcraft Act of 1563 was increasingly shaping the prosecution of supernatural offences across the kingdom, the emergence of Alexander within the records highlights the reach of the criminal justice system into the northern territories.
The subsequent trial, documented under T/JO/2154, marked the progression of these charges through the established court process. As a male defendant, Alexander stands as a significant figure in the demographic landscape of the 1577 proceedings, serving as a reminder that accusations were not confined to women, but encompassed various members of the community. While the surviving documentation provides the administrative timeline of his apprehension and subsequent judicial hearing, these records remain a testament to the structured, formalised response of the early modern state to those identified as practitioners of forbidden arts.