In the summer of 1678, in the village of Woodhead, nestled within the parish of Haddington, the wheels of justice began to turn for an unnamed henwife. Known simply through her occupation and her association as a spouse to a local wobster—a term for a weaver—her case sheds light on the lived experiences of those caught in the complex web of Scotland’s witch trials. This woman, of middling socioeconomic status, managed to sustain her household through her work with poultry, a common yet vital role in rural economies of the period. Despite the ordinary nature of her profession, it soon became central to the allegations she faced.
The case against the henwife, recorded under the identifier C/LA/3063, was brought to formal trial by July 9, 1678. The details of her indictment remain concealed within the mists of history, but the general notes suggest an accusation that perhaps exploited the daily intimacies of her life and work. In the closely-knit communities of 17th century Scotland, the henwife’s skills and practices might have easily spurred suspicion or envy, which were potent catalysts for charges of witchcraft during this era.
Records such as T/LA/1445 that catalogue the legal proceedings against her reflect the broader socio-religious context of Scotland at a time when fear of the supernatural persisted alongside a rigorous, albeit burgeoning, legal framework. Her status as a married woman linked to a respectable trade like weaving adds a significant layer to the social dynamics at play. Though the ultimate outcome of her trial is lost to us, the documentation of her case allows modern audiences to peer into the ways societal roles and livelihoods were inextricably tied to the witch trial phenomena, reminding us of the precariousness faced by women in such precarious societal positions.