Margret Jackson, a widow residing in the settlement of Pollokshaws within the county of Renfrew, found herself drawn into a protracted legal proceeding alongside a cluster of local residents, to whom she was linked by kinship. While the specific nature of her domestic connection to the Stewart family—whether she was the daughter-in-law of Jonet Mathie or the sister-in-law of a deceased relative—remains ambiguous in the archival records, the social cohesion of this group was central to the scrutiny they faced. By early 1677, Margret was identified as a subject of judicial interest, and on 7 January, she provided a formal confession that would ultimately serve as the cornerstone of the case brought against her.
The legal process moved with relative swiftness, reflecting the gravity with which local authorities and central officials approached these allegations. Although she was granted a Privy Council commission for her trial, the proceedings took place in Renfrew before a tribunal that featured both local magistrates and representatives dispatched from Edinburgh. On 14 February 1677, the court examined the charges of *maleficium*—the practice of harmful magic—and participation in clandestine witches' meetings. Found guilty of these accusations, Margret was sentenced to death. On 20 February, the sentence was carried out at the Gallow Green, where she was executed by being strangled and burned.