The case against Ellen Gray, recorded in Aberdeen during the tumultuous spring of 1597, situates her within one of the most intense periods of witch-hunting in early modern Scotland. Her legal proceedings, which include a *dittay* dated to either January 1597 or 1598, culminated in a trial held on April 27, 1597. The charges brought against Ellen were significant, focusing on the destruction of property; specifically, she was accused of causing harm to a dairy and the loss of a whole estate. Her identity remains somewhat elusive in the broader records of the period, as she may be the same individual referenced as Elspet Gray or simply an "old woman called Gray" mentioned during the testimony of Andro Man, a central figure in the Aberdeen trials.
Following the judicial process, Ellen was found guilty of the charges brought before her. She was sentenced to death and subsequently executed by burning in April 1597. Her final moments were shared with another accused woman, Agnes Webster, both of whom met the same fate as part of the legal actions taken in Aberdeen at that time. These events underscore the severe consequences faced by those whose alleged activities were perceived as a direct threat to the agricultural and material stability of the community during this era.