Trial Details
T/LA/72 Barbara Napier
- Name of the accused
- Barbara Napier
- Associated case
- C/EGD/103 (10/5/1591)
- Trial process type
- Central Court
| associated trials | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| trial reference | accused | trial type | trial year | trial place |
| no recorded trials | ||||
Pre-trial actions
| commissions | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| commission body | type | date | seal | notes |
| no recorded commission | ||||
| previous commissions | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| commission body | date | |||
| no recorded prior commission | ||||
| appeals | ||
|---|---|---|
| central authority | reason | appeal date |
| no recorded appeals | ||
| complaints | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| type | date of complaint | lodged at | appeal date | complainent | involvement |
| no recorded complaints | |||||
| move to higher legal authority | |
|---|---|
| moved to | date of move |
| no recorded move to higher legal authority | |
| denunciations | |
|---|---|
| denuncation date | dated |
| no recorded denunciations | |
| imprisonments | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| incarceration date | central trial imprison | prison | location | moving |
| no recorded imprisonments | ||||
| tortures | |
|---|---|
| date of torture | torture type |
| no recorded tortures | |
| ordeals | |
|---|---|
| date of ordeal | ordeal type |
| no recorded ordeals | |
| confessions | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| central trial confession | date | location | notes |
| no recorded confessions | |||
other information
- Pre-trial notes
- She was confronted with Richard Graham, Jonat Straton, and Donald Robinson. High Court minutes narrate an argument about whether or not her confessions are enough evidence. Lots of arguments about her case here (heavy on procedure not much on what she was accused of). Debate about which confessions will stand and which items of dittay will be presented to the assize.
- watched?
- no
- watch date
- no information
- arrested?
- no
- arrest date
- no information
- fled?
- no
- date absconded
- no information
- action dropped?
- no
- action dropped date
- no information
- action dropped by
- no information
- trial action body
- no information
- confronting suspects?
- yes
Trial phase
- trial date
- 8/5/1591
- trial place
- no information
place of trial
- settlement
- Edinburgh
- parish
- no information
- presbytery
- no information
- county
- no information
- burgh
- no information
verdict
- verdict
- Guilty
- defence
- yes
- female accusers
- 0
- male accusers
- 0
- recorded as high status?
- no
- order for central judiciary trial
- no
- judiciary trial date
- no information
- circuit court (mixed central and local)
- no
- circuit name
- no information
- local court with central representatives
- no
- trial notes
- We have pleadings about assize members. The assize was ordered by King James VI to convict and sentence her to death. They refused because she claimed pregnancy. The jurors were then prosecuted for willful error.
| persons associated with the trial | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| name | title | office | occupation | involvement | witchpricker? | notes |
| David MacGill | Mr | None | advocate | Prosecutor | no | Involved in cases in 1586, 1590-1, 1593, 1614 and 1628-9. |
| John Russell | Mr | None | advocate | Defence | no | Involved in trials in 1591 and 1610. |
| John Moscrop | Mr | None | advocate | Defence | no | Involved in trials in 1591. |
| William Napier | None | burgess | None | Defence | no | Involved in trial in 1591. |
| Alexander Napier | None | burgess | None | Defence | no | Involved in trial in 1591. |
| Andrew Napier | None | burgess | None | Defence | no | Involved in trial in 1591. |
Post-trial phase
- sentence
- no information
- executed?
- no
- execution date
- no information
- execution place
- no information
- execution method
- no information
- post trial notes
- On 10 May 1591 the assize was charged with willful error.
| other named witches | ||
|---|---|---|
| name | trial link | accused link |
| Agnes Sampsoune | T/LA/934 | A/EGD/52 |
| Rychard Grahame | T/LA/985 | A/LA/2793 |
| Gelie Duncan | T/LA/970 | A/EGD/99 |
| Jonet Gaw | T/LA/937 | A/EGD/54 |
| Robert Grierson | T/LA/929 | A/EGD/110 |
| Katherine Gray | T/LA/932 | A/EGD/67 |
| Daughter of Agnes Sampson | T/LA/983 | A/LA/2791 |
| Margaret Acheson | T/LA/964 | A/EGD/68 |
| Catherine Duncane | T/LA/942 | A/EGD/59 |
| Bessie Wrycht | T/LA/941 | A/EGD/58 |
| Issobell Gylour | T/LA/940 | A/EGD/57 |
| wife of John Ramsay | T/LA/939 | A/EGD/56 |
| Anny Rycheson | T/LA/938 | A/EGD/55 |
| Cristine Kerington | T/LA/973 | A/EGD/89 |
| Masie Aichesoune | T/LA/946 | A/EGD/88 |
| Marie Patersone | T/LA/947 | A/EGD/87 |
| Alexander Quhytlaw | T/LA/948 | A/EGD/86 |
| Marioune Nicolsoun | T/LA/949 | A/EGD/85 |
| Marioune Bailzie | T/LA/950 | A/EGD/84 |
| Johnne Gordoun | T/LA/884 | A/EGD/134 |
| Issobell Lauder | T/LA/952 | A/EGD/82 |
| Helen Quhyte | T/LA/953 | A/EGD/81 |
| Margaret Thomson | T/LA/963 | A/EGD/69 |
| Jonet Nicolsoun | T/LA/951 | A/EGD/83 |
| Marioune Scheill | T/LA/954 | A/EGD/80 |
| Helen Lauder | T/LA/955 | A/EGD/79 |
| Wife of Archie Henillis | T/LA/968 | A/LA/2782 |
| Duncan Buchquahanne | T/LA/956 | A/EGD/77 |
| Marioun Colington | T/LA/957 | A/EGD/76 |
| Bessie Gulane | T/LA/958 | A/EGD/75 |
| Bessie Broune | T/LA/959 | A/EGD/74 |
| Wife of Thomas Brounhill | T/LA/961 | A/EGD/72 |
| Thomas Brounhill | T/LA/960 | A/EGD/73 |
| Gilbert McGill | T/LA/962 | A/EGD/71 |
| Catherine McGillis | T/LA/967 | A/EGD/91 |
| Johne McGill (McGillis) | T/LA/966 | A/EGD/51 |
| Agnes Straitton | T/LA/980 | A/LA/2788 |
| Ewfame Makcalzene | T/LA/995 | A/EGD/93 |
| John Fean | T/LA/928 | A/EGD/48 |
| Margrett Thomsoun | T/LA/993 | A/LA/2794 |
| Donald Robinson | T/LA/992 | A/EGD/97 |
| Unknown Unknown | T/LA/994 | A/LA/2795 |
| Jonett Logane | T/LA/989 | A/EGD/62 |
| Malie Geddie | T/LA/990 | A/EGD/78 |
| Margaret Acheson | T/LA/964 | A/EGD/68 |
| Jonet Straton | T/LA/991 | A/EGD/96 |
Mentioned as a witch
| mentioned as a witch | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| type | name | mention date | fate | linked trialdate | trial link | notes |
| no mentions | ||||||