In 1662, the wife of Alexander Aitkin, a resident of Haddington, found herself caught in the sweeping judicial proceedings that characterised the Scottish witch trials of the mid-seventeenth century. Her accusation originated from the testimony of James Welch, an individual whose youth ultimately precluded him from standing trial himself. Despite his age, Welch’s confession and the subsequent denunciations he provided were regarded by the authorities as sufficiently credible to warrant official action, leading to the wife of Alexander being drawn into the legal process.
Following the accusations leveled by Welch, the wife of Alexander was taken into custody. While the historical record indicates that her accuser was deemed too young to face the court, this did not mitigate the gravity of her own situation. Consequently, she was imprisoned as the judicial authorities proceeded with the case (C/LA/3036) and the associated trial (T/LA/1351). Her experience reflects the precarious nature of life in Haddington during this period, where the denunciations of a single individual, regardless of his age, could irrevocably alter the course of a woman's life within the justice system.