Belief in witches and warlocks was very real in seventeenth century Scotland. But by a statute in 1563 witchcraft became a civil offence punishable by death. An order in 1597 gave the Privy Council a large measure of power to authorise commissions to try alleged witches. Many a harmless old woman, possibly verging on senility, was done to death because she spoke to herself and kept a cat. Burning at the stake was the usual punishment.

The memorable year for witchcraft in Corstorphine was 1649. A detailed account survives in the pages of the kirk session records. On the 13th May. Beatrix Watsone (Betie), wife of the weaver, Alexander Scott, lodged a Bill of Complaint against the schoolmaster, James Chalmers, because he had accused her of being a witch. Fellow villagers, speaking on oath before the minister and the session, told strange stories of the accused.

Marion Weir, servant of George Cochrane, described how on the 4th May Betie had gone into Cochrane’s house and said to her that if Cochrane’s mistress did not pay the money due for webs that had been spun for her the unpaid silver would become black silver. Marion followed Betie into the house where a quarrel ensued between Betie and Cochrane’s wife, Jean Broune. The next day Jean was struck by a mysterious illness: sometimes she was "excessively hot, some time chittering cold". The lasted for three days when the poor woman became speechless and "when anyone lifted up her hands they fell down incontinent". On the fourth day Betie visited the sick woman and pittered pattered some words.

Marion Weir, the servant, was lying in the bed beyond her mistress when suddenly a large black thing "like a great rat" came from under the bedclothes and jumped up on the bedstead. After a deep sleep the afflicted woman woke up and was able to speak, and improved daily. Modern medicine could probably find an explanation for Jean’s temporary incapacity and, keeping in mind the living and housing conditions in 1649 a rat might well have got itself into the bedding.

John Ramsey, another witness, described how the accused had threatened his cow which had strayed into her yard. Consequently when it paid a second visit Betie sent it into such a frenzied state that it chased all the stirk everywhere and only with difficulty was it brought home. It "routed all night" forcing Ramsey to rise and what he saw was a sow lying across his door. This happened for the following four or five nights. The strange thing was the appearance of the sow for no swine were kept in the village.

The concluding evidence was given by John Yorkstoun and John Cleghorne. One day while they were talking to the minister on part of his glebe, at the back of the churchyard. Cleghorne seeing her, exclaimed, "God save the cattle". The minister asked him why he said that, Cleghorne replied, "She is not canny. She has the evil eye". He had just finished speaking when the oxen bolted with the plough and the two of them fell to the ground.

Lord Forrester’s bailie, James Hadden, imprisoned Betie in the Tower of the church where she remained till the 25th May when she managed to hang herself. James Hadden was relieved from his position. Whether his "carelessness" was deliberate, perhaps to give Betie a chance of escape, or just plain neglected duties, nobody will ever know, but, Betie at least had cheated the system and her enemies of the spectacle of burning to death.

The witch trials continued on numerous people from that May until the September, occupying much of the ministers and sessions time. By the following year Cromwell was in Scotland and his troops were quartered in Corstorphine. Cromwellian government was more tolerant of witches and so persecution abated. In 1736 the laws against witchcraft were repealed.