Janet Hendersoun, a resident of the small village of Lilliesleaf in Selkirk, found herself at the center of a storm of accusations in early 1629. Her case, cataloged under the official records as C/EGD/1088, paints a picture of a turbulent period in Scottish history, characterized by fear and suspicion of witchcraft. On February 24th of that year, Hendersoun stood accused of engaging in witchlike behaviours, a serious charge that often led to dire consequences during the witch trials that swept across Scotland between 1563 and 1736.
The trial of Janet Hendersoun, recorded under T/LA/653, was emblematic of the era's judicial proceedings concerning alleged witches. The records do not detail the specific accusations or the outcomes, but the very existence of a trial reveals that the charges were deemed sufficiently credible or alarming to warrant formal proceedings. Such trials were often heavily influenced by the social and religious contexts of the time, and the community's concern over protecting its moral and spiritual welfare would have weighed heavily in the process. Hendersoun's experience, though just one among many, highlights the precarious position many found themselves in, as villagers and authorities grappled with intangible fears transformed into formal allegations.