In the spring of 1699, Mary Grougie, a resident of Govan and the wife of a sailor, found herself drawn into a period of acute social anxiety surrounding the perceived spiritual threats of witchcraft. Her situation arose as part of a wider series of accusations initiated by Margaret Murdoch, the daughter of John Murdoch of Craigtown. Young Margaret, claiming to be tormented by supernatural forces, produced a list of names that implicated numerous individuals within the parish. Mary, who occupied a middling socioeconomic status, was identified by the girl alongside many others, prompting an intense period of scrutiny involving both medical professionals and members of the clergy who sought to interpret the girl’s claims.
By April 22, 1699, the focus of this scrutiny had shifted to Glasgow, where three individuals—one man and two women—provided formal testimony against Mary. Despite these testimonies and the gravity of the accusations brought forward by the Murdoch family, surviving records indicate a puzzling lack of institutional momentum. While Mary was clearly identified as a suspect within the judicial sphere of the time, there is no evidence that the state initiated formal legal proceedings against her. The historical record concludes on this note of uncertainty; though her name was recorded in the testimony of others, the legal process surrounding her involvement appears to have stalled, leaving her ultimate fate unrecorded.