In the mid-17th century, during a turbulent period marked by fear of witchcraft in Scotland, John McKie, a resident of the small settlement of Craigie in Ayrshire, found his life irreversibly altered when he was summoned to stand trial for witchcraft. The date was April 6, 1658, during the height of witch hunting fervor that swept through early modern Scotland, culminating in numerous trials and accusations. According to historical court records, John McKie was one of several individuals named on the porteous rolls—documents listing those summoned for trial. These rolls, used by the local courts in Ayr, demonstrate the organizational nature in the prosecution of alleged witches. The specific roll that summoned John McKie, dated March 31, 1658, indicates the methodical process by which the authorities brought the accused to face judgment.
On the day appointed for the trials, John McKie, alongside his fellow accused, appeared in the Ayr Court. The exact details of the accusations against him were not preserved in these particular court records; however, the fact that he was included in such a list speaks to the tense atmosphere of suspicion and fear that pervaded the region. It was a time when accusations could arise from personal grievances or unexplained misfortunes being attributed to the supernatural. McKie's inclusion in the court list underscores how deeply ingrained beliefs about witchcraft were at the time, as well as the challenges he and others faced when ensuring their defense. His story, as noted in these records, serves as a somber reminder of the historical complexities and societal pressures of early modern Scotland, where individuals such as John McKie found themselves ensnared in legal battles over forces unseen.