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The North
Berwick Witches
The reason this particular
case is so important is that it was the first mass witch-trial in
Scotland and the first time the words "Satanic Pact" were mentioned in
a witch-trial.The other notable thing is that King James VI played an
important part in the investigations of the trials.
In 1589, King James VI had chosen to marry the 14 year old Anne of
Denmark and she was to have been brought over by boat to Scotland.
However, a series of storms prevented Anne from ever setting sail and
the Danish authorities blamed witchcraft for the bad weather.
Subsequently several people were arrested for causing these storms and
brought to trial in Copenhagen.
The King eventually travelled to Denmark himself beset by severe
storms on both the outward and return journeys and collected his new
bride.During the return voyage one of the ships that was carrying
wedding gifts for the new Queen was sunk in a storm.
The following year the King was informed that his marriage plans had
been hindered by treasonous witchcraft from North Berwick, a fishing
port in East Lothian, on the east coast of Scotland.
In a pamphlet published in 1591 called "Newes from Scotland" a
description of how a serving woman from Tranent, Geillis Duncan, had
fallen under suspicion of witchcraft.
"Within the towne of Trenent, in the kingdome of Scotland, there
dwelleth one david Seaton who, being deputie bailliffe in the said
towne,had a maid called Geillis Duncane, who used secretlie to absent
and lie forth of hir maisters house every other night: This Geillis
Duncane tooke in hand to helpe all such as were troubled or grieved
with anie kinde of sicknes or infirmitie, and in short space did
perfourme many matters most miraculous; which things, for asmuch as
shee began to do them upon a sodaine, having never done the like
before, made her maister and others to be in great admiration, and
wondered threat: by meanes whereof, the said David Seaton had his maid
in great suspition that shee did not those things by naturall and
lawful waies, but rather supposed it to bee done by some
extraordinarie and unlawfull meanes."
After being interrogated she admitted she was in league with
others and as more people were apprehended and interrogated other
names came to the fore.
Agnes Sampson from Haddington, Agnes Thompson from Edinburgh, Dr Fian
from Prestonpans, Mrs Motts from Lothian, Robert Grierson, Janet
Sandilands, a smith,
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