In the mid-17th century, amidst the often tumultuous setting of Orkney, Katherene Grieve found herself ensnared in the era's pervasive fear of witchcraft. Records dating back to May 29, 1633, paint a picture of a woman who, despite being accused of participating in a "witches' meeting," seems to have lived a life that was neither secluded nor impoverished. Katherene was noted to have children, yet accounts of a husband are absent, suggesting perhaps his early demise or a separate life. It is recorded that she worked for a certain John Brown, indicating a role that involved responsibilities beyond the domestic sphere, an unusual yet not unheard-of circumstance for women of her time.
By the means of the legal machinery of the period, Katherene was tried on the same day as her arrest. The trial took place in Orkney under the watchful eye of the procurator fiscal, and the proceedings were duly noted in the register of the Privy Council. Despite the grave nature of the accusation, the records reveal that Katherene did not suffer the ultimate penalty of execution, which was commonly meted out in witchcraft cases. Instead, she was found guilty and sentenced to be branded. This branding served not only as a physical punishment but also as an indelible mark of social ostracization, a symbol intended to disconnect her from communal ties and reinforce the condemnation of her alleged participation in the occult. Through this poignant glimpse into Katherene Grieve's life, we perceive the harsh realities and mercurial justice faced by those accused of witchcraft in 17th century Scotland.