In the early months of 1662, Marion Greinlaw of Sunniesyd, Newton, found herself ensnared in the grim upheaval of the witch trials that swept through Scotland during the 17th century. Accusations against her were recorded under case number C/EGD/378, where she faced charges linked to an alleged witches' meeting. This was a common charge during that period, often vaguely defined and difficult for the accused to refute, given the atmosphere of fear and superstition that prevailed.
Marion's ordeal is documented through several intersecting trial documents, including trial records T/LA/278 and T/LA/374, though these entries offer little detail by themselves. However, significant insight into Marion's case emerges from the records of her confessions. It is noted that she made confessions on multiple occasions, the first being recorded on 25th July 1661 and followed by another on 29th July 1661, both of which she later retracted, indicating the complex pressure she faced. These confessions were extracted at the Tolbooth, a notorious venue for the incarceration and examination of accused witches in Edinburgh. The methods used to compel such confessions remain unspecified in the records, though torture was a known practice at that time.
The retraction of her confessions suggests Marion’s resistance, however strained, against an intimidating legal apparatus. The records do not provide further detail on her fate post-trial or the specifics of her defense, leaving her ultimate story shrouded in the same ambiguity that characterizes much of this dark chapter in history. Her experience reflects the broader societal tensions and the dire consequences faced by those drawn into the maelstrom of the witch hunts.