In the waning days of the summer of 1659, Maly Purdie found herself entangled in the complex web of legal and social anxieties that marked the witch trials in Scotland. Residing in the village of Skirling, under the ecclesiastical jurisdiction of the Biggar presbytery, Maly's life was abruptly upended by allegations of witchcraft. The details of her case have been preserved through historical accounts, notably mentioned in the works of the historian Larner, who recorded individuals accused of witchcraft in this region. Despite some confusion in the historical records, which refer to a history of Arbroath, the focus remained clear: Maly was at the heart of a witchcraft accusation that resonated through the local community.
The month of September in 1659 was significant for Maly, as indicated in the documented case notes with the reference number C/EGD/2406. The specifics of Maly's alleged misdeeds remain unverified in the records, and it is unclear what direct actions or circumstances led to her being singled out. Nevertheless, her story is illustrative of the broader societal pressures of the time, where fear and superstition could rapidly turn neighbor against neighbor. Maly's case, while not thoroughly scrutinized by subsequent research projects, remains a testament to the pervasive nature of the witchcraft trials that swept through Scotland and highlighted the vulnerabilities faced by many, particularly women, during this tumultuous period in history.