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Under church law witchcraft was considered a crime.  It was believed that individuals made a pact with the devil turning their backs on God.  Protestants ministers were involved interrogation of suspects.  They were diligent in keeping the Government active in their hunt for witches.(.aberdeencity)

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Most witchcraft trials were held in special courts. They were local to where convicted witch lived. A commission was a written document provided by the Crown to pursue someone thought to be a witch. (historywitch) The commission was intact until around 1597 after the trial of Margaret Aitken and her fraudulent behaviour.(books.google.ca)

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During the Great Witch Hunt of Scotland Margaret Aitken, the Great Witch of Balwearie,  was arrested and plead guilty under extreme torture.  She stated she could recognize other witches by looking them in the eye.  As a result she was pardoned.  Eventually, Margaret was found as a fraud, but not until after many women lost their lives. (historywitch)

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The Great Witch Hunt of Scotland was held in 1592 all over Scotland. Over 400 people were tried for witchcraft through this time period. It not known why it happened as it was not sanctioned by a Royal Commission. However, it happened after a time of great "political turmoil, plague and famine." (historywitch) It can be inferred that people of Scotland were looking for a scapegoat for the problems they were facing.

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Shakespeare's Macbeth was based in a prominent time period for witches in the Scottish culture.

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The Survey of Scottish Witchcraft has a record of 3,837 people that were accused of witchcraft.  (School of History, Classics & Archaeology)

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If accused of being a witch the witches would face execution, banishment, declared fugitive, outlawed or publicly humiliated. Around 67 percent of witches were executed. (School of History, Classics & Archaeology)

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North Berwick, Scotland had the very first mass witch trial. Scotland in this time period was living in fear of witches. This lead to Scottish justiciary system to make a law for Witchcraft Act in 1563.(The Scottsman)

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Isobel Gowdie was a housewife that was trialed for witchcraft. She was known as the Queen of Scottish Witches. In her story she stated she encountered Satan who rebatized her, and gave her the mark of Satan. Through Gowdie's confessions established witch lore, which stated witches could fly, Christians were targets and the Devil himself was whom they worshiped. (witchcraftandwitches)

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In 1441 Eleanor Cobham hired a magician and a witch to kill Henry IV. Both the magician and witch were tried for sorcery and found guilty.  The magician was convicted of high treason and was hung.  The witch was convicted of witchcraft and was burned to the stake.  Both were common practice for those that were found to be partaking in witchery. (historyextra