Mary Morisone, a resident of Greenock in Renfrew, found herself entwined in the turbulent witch trials of late 17th-century Scotland, a period marked by fear and superstition. Belonging to the middling class, Mary was married and presumably led a relatively ordinary life until accusations of witchcraft emerged. The Privy Council initially confined her to Edinburgh, instructing her to appear before them by November 1698. The anxiety of such proceedings, during a time when accusations alone could wreak havoc on a person's life, must have been profound for Mary.
The accusations against Mary stemmed from bewitched fits suffered by two young girls, Margaret Laird and Margaret Murdoch, in the towns of Paisley and Govan, respectively. During their episodes, the girls named several individuals, including Mary, claiming they were tormented by witches. Testimonies were gathered from witnesses who observed Laird's afflictions, contributing to the ignominious cloud hanging over Mary. Her legal troubles began in earnest with an indictment in 1697, although this initial prosecution was halted due to her pregnancy.
Mary's case followed a pattern reminiscent of others from the period, where accusation and legal process often ebbed and flowed without definitive resolution. In May 1699, her husband posted a bond of caution, a common legal safeguard ensuring her compliance with further inquiries—a testament to the precarious position they faced as a family. Although Mary was rearrested in 1699, the case against her was eventually abandoned in 1700, as noted by the deserted court diet. Her story, though not unique, reflects the era's fraught intersection of kinship, community suspicion, and the harsh realities of being entangled in accusations of witchcraft.