d, and they were all persons capable of understanding the meaning
and result of their actions.[147]

The accusation against the witches was that they had met together to plot
the murder of the King and Queen by witchcraft. The trial therefore was on
a double charge, witchcraft and high treason, and both charges had to be
substantiated. Keeping in mind Lord Coke's definition of a witch as 'a
person who has conference with the Devil to take counsel or to do some
act', it is clear that the fact of the Devil's bodily presence at the
meetings had to be proved first, then the fact of the 'conference', and
finally the attempts at murder. The reports of the trial do not, however,
differentiate these points in any way, and the religious prepossession of
the recorders colours every account. It is therefore necessary to take the
facts without the construction put upon them by the natural bias of the
Christian judges and writers. The records give in some detail the account
of several meetings where the deaths of the King and Queen were discussed,
and instructions given and carried out to effect that purpose. At each
meeting certain ceremonies proper to the presence of the Grand Master were
performed, but the real object of the meeting was never forgotten or even
obscured.

The actual evidence of the affair was given by Agnes Sampson (also called
Anny Simpson or Tompson), John Fian, Euphemia or Effie McCalyan, and
Barbara Napier. As it was a case of high treason, the two leaders, Sampson
and Fian, were tortured to force them to divulge the name of the prime
mover. Both these two and Effie McCalyan were condemned and executed;
Barbara Napier, equally guilty according to the evidence but more fortunate
in her jurors, was released; for which action the jurors themselves were
subsequently tried.

Though the means used by the witches may seem ridiculous, the murderous
intention is very clear. First they performed incantations to raise a storm
to wreck the Queen's ship on her way to Scotland, and the storm which
actually arose very nearly effected their purpose. As it failed, however,
they betook themselves to the accredited method of melting a waxen image,
but they were also ready to use poisons, which were to their minds the most
virulent that could be prepared.

I have arranged the evidence so as to make as far as possible a consecutive
narrative of the occurrences.

_John Fian_, tried December 26, 1590. The first items relate