In the spring of 1662, the legal mechanisms of early modern Scotland converged upon the village of Auldearn in Nairn, bringing Mariorie Man into the custody of the judicial authorities. On April 14, 1662, records indicate that Mariorie was formally entered into the legal process under case reference C/EGD/441. This period in Auldearn was marked by intense scrutiny of local social and spiritual boundaries, as the community grappled with accusations that drew individuals into the purview of the kirk sessions and the high courts.
The subsequent proceedings against Mariorie, documented under trial reference T/LA/1830, form part of the broader pattern of witchcraft prosecutions that permeated the region during the mid-seventeenth century. The documentation associated with her trial reflects the rigorous, methodical approach of the contemporary Scottish legal system as it sought to address allegations of maleficium and covenanting. By examining the specific entries recorded in her case files, historians can trace the intersection of local tension and judicial procedure that defined the experience of those, like Mariorie, caught within the expansive scope of the witch trials.