In the spring of 1699, the burgh of Renfrew became the site of a tense legal investigation centered on the reported torment of a woman named Margaret Laird. Among those drawn into the vortex of these accusations was Marion Mathie, a resident of the town whose family ties suggest that witchcraft allegations were not isolated to her alone; historical records indicate that both her mother and sister were similarly accused. Between the 19th and 21st of April, a group of three witnesses—one man and two women—traveled to Paisley to provide testimony regarding the unfolding situation, during which Marion was explicitly named as one of those responsible for inflicting suffering upon Margaret.
Despite the gravity of these accusations, the archival evidence regarding Marion’s fate remains inconclusive. While she was denounced in the witness depositions recorded in Paisley, there is no documentation to confirm that any formal legal proceedings were ever initiated against her. Consequently, the historical record for Marion ends in a state of uncertainty; she was identified by name as a tormentor within the legal narrative of the trial, yet she appears to have escaped the full weight of a state-sanctioned trial. Whether she faced further social repercussions within Renfrew or simply faded from the judicial process, her case stands as a testament to the precarious nature of testimony during this period.