In the spring of 1631, the legal machinery of Aberdeen turned its attention toward Mallie Cowper, a resident of the small fishing community of Footdee. On April 20th, Mallie was brought before the authorities to face formal accusations that would irrevocably alter the course of her life. The charges leveled against her were grave, centering primarily on allegations that she had participated in a witches' meeting—an activity then perceived not merely as a deviation from social norms, but as a direct threat to the established spiritual and communal order of the coastal village.
The legal proceedings, recorded under case reference C/EGD/1241 and trial reference T/LA/787, further articulated the anxieties of her neighbors through specific claims of property damage. Mallie was accused of causing harm to the village’s boats, the lifeblood of the Footdee economy. In a maritime settlement where the safety of the fleet was synonymous with the survival of the community, such an indictment carried significant weight. As the case moved through the court, these allegations of diabolical association and tangible destruction of property framed the remainder of her legal encounter with the early modern Scottish justice system.