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Beatrix Leslie (c. 1577 - 3 September 1661) was a Scottish midwife executed for witchcraft. in 1661 she is accused of witchcraft following the collapse of a coal pit. Little is know about her life before that, although there are reported disputes with neighbours that allude to a quarrelsome attitude.

Background

Leslie was married to William Moffat, but it is unknown if they had any children. She lived in the Lothians in Scotland. She worked as a midwife and described during her trial how she used a knife and salt in a protective ritual during childbirth. Considering her advanced age, she likely was quite skilful as a midwife.

There are however several reports that note her as argumentative. Some reports state that she uttered curses during certain disputes, after which several women claimed to have suffered harm and loss. These likely will have contributed to her conviction.

Trial

Leslie stood on trial in 1661, a year in which many witches were prosecuted in the Lothians. She was tried together with five other women. The accusations brought against her included malefice (evil harm) and demonic witchcraft. The witch-pricker John Kincaid investigated her by subjecting her to at least two ordeals. Firstly pricking, during which the accused was pricked with needles in several places in order to find a devil's mark. The second ordeal was the bierricht, where the accused was made to touch the corpse of their alleged victim. If upon their touch the corpse would start bleeding again, the accused was found guilty.

During the ordeals, Leslie confessed to meeting the devil twice, once in the shape of a brown dog and once as a young man, agreeing to be his servant and being given the new name 'Bold Leslie'. However, she claimed to not have renounced her baptism. With the confession gathered through the ordeal she was found guilty and order to be executed by being strangled and burnt on 3 September 1661.