In the year 1669, in the small parish of Fogo within Berwickshire, a man named Hendry Wilson found himself caught in the throes of one of Scotland's most infamous chapters: the witch trials. As a "loadman," Hendry was among those whose livelihoods were tied to the physical labor sustaining rural communities. The position of a loadman, responsible for the transport of goods, indicated Hendry’s role on the lower rungs of the economic ladder, making him susceptible to the tides of misfortune that could sweep through any village.
Hendry resided in a place known as Fogo Milne, a locale that contributed to the agricultural and economic framework of Berwick. Living in such a tightly-knit and rural area, one can surmise that community suspicions, tensions, or even simple need for explanations of the unexplainable could easily lead to accusations of witchcraft, especially against those without powerful allies or resources to defend themselves. Nonetheless, the historical archives provide us solely with the date of April 8, 1669. This marked the day when Hendry's case was officially registered under the judicial system, designated as "Wilson, Hendry" in the records.
Unfortunately, the trial notes concerning Hendry's particular ordeal provide no further information about the specific accusations, the proceedings, or the outcome of his trial, leaving an unsettling gap in the historical narrative. This absence of detail speaks volumes about the often arbitrary and incomplete documentation practices of the time, which leave contemporary observers with an incomplete picture of the lives disrupted and the systemic forces at play during the Scottish witch trials. Hendry's story, as it stands, serves as a solemn reminder of the countless voices lost to history, echoing the broader silence surrounding many who were branded with the damning label of "witch."