In the midst of the 1697 Renfrewshire witch trials, a period marked by heightened anxiety and suspicion, a fourteen-year-old boy named James Lindsay found himself embroiled in accusations of witchcraft. Residing in Blackhall, Erskine, in Renfrew, James was mentioned in the closing arguments of the group trial, which was one of the prominent spectacles in the series of events during that year. Despite the grave nature of the allegations swirling around him, the records highlight that James was not ultimately indicted. His youth, just fourteen years of age, was a focal point in the deliberations, as it was argued that he was too young to have intentionally engaged in a pact with the Devil—a common accusation in cases of witchcraft.
Interestingly, James and his brother, identified as originating from Bargarrane, served as witnesses rather than accused parties. This positioning underscores the various roles individuals played within the web of witchcraft trials, not simply as accused but sometimes as crucial pieces in the broader narrative structured by community fears and legal proceedings. The lack of indictment in James's case, despite his recorded confession, provides insight into the shifting criteria for culpability during these tumultuous trials—a criterion that, at least in this instance, spared him from the fate of standing trial alongside the seven others on May 12, 1697. Such distinctions reflect the complex interplay of age, societal perceptions of responsibility, and the urgent push for resolutions during the witch panic in Renfrewshire.