In the tumultuous early 17th century in Scotland, Meg Lyell became embroiled in one of the infamous witch trials that swept through the nation. On April 20, 1608, in the small parish of Crailing, Roxburghshire, records indicate that Meg was formally charged with witchcraft, a fate that befell many during these fraught times. Meg was a resident of Spital, a name potentially indicating a connection to either of the two hospitals in the parish — Spital Rule or Crailing Spital — though historical records do not specify which. These institutions, acting as beacons of care in their time, perhaps also served as a cauldron of whispers and suspicions, laying fertile ground for accusations like those levelled at Meg.
The trial, catalogued as T/JO/785, highlights the severe judicial proceedings reserved for those accused of witchcraft in this era. Meg's trial took place in Jedburgh, a town not far from her residence. The details remain sparse, yet these events were part of a broader tapestry of fear and superstition. During this period, individuals often faced dire consequences based on local rumours and the community's heightened fears of the supernatural. The historical records suggest that Meg Lyell might also be known as Marjorie Lyell, tried under similar allegations five years later in 1613, although the connection between the two records remains inconclusive.
Meg's story, immortalised in these fragments of judicial proceedings, echoes the vulnerability and peril that many faced during Scotland's witch trials. The ambiguity surrounding details of her life and the outcomes of her trial poignantly underscores the historical silence about those who were accused of witchcraft, leaving us with haunting questions about their fates and the societies that judged them.