Agnes Sampson
Agnes Sampson († January 28, 1591 in Edinburgh ) was a Scottish midwife and healer who was tried and convicted as a witch.
Life
Agnes Sampson lived in Nether Keith, a town near Haddington , East Lothian . She worked as a midwife and healer, was widowed and was older when she was accused of witchcraft by Geillis Duncane in the witchcraft trials of North Berwick in the later half of the 16th century. She was also known as the Wise Wife of Keith .
accusation
After the Scottish King James VI. and the newly wedded bride Anna of Denmark had encountered severe storms on the journey from Denmark to Scotland, which had previously forced the bride to stop in Oslo on her way to Scotland, the suspicion arose that these storms were due to witchcraft . In Denmark, Anna Koldings was accused of this act and subjected to severe torture. She confessed and named other witches. Anna Koldings was found guilty and burned at Kronborg Castle in 1590 . When King James VI. learned of the trial, he also set up a court in North Berwick to investigate these incidents.
The connection to Scotland was made by the maid Gillis Duncan (or Geilis Duncan). She worked for David Seaton in Tranent . Allegedly, Duncan developed healing powers and snuck out of the house at night. She couldn't explain these skills and behavior to Seaton, so he had her tortured. Duncan confessed to being a witch under torture and accused other men and women of witchcraft.
As reported in the contemporary leaflet Newes from Scotland , Duncan accused her by saying: Agnes Sampson, the oldest witch of all, lives in Haddington.
Agnes Sampson was arrested and tortured in November 1590. Her head was crushed in a twisted rope, she was completely shaved, her body was searched for the signs of the devil and she was subjected to further torture tours. She immediately confessed to whatever was asked of her. On December 4th and 5th, she made a series of confessions, some directly in front of the King, at Holyrood Palace . She confessed to summoning storms to prevent Anna from Denmark from traveling to Scotland in 1589 and to gathering with other witches in North Berwick in the cemetery on Halloween to bewitch the king and more.
According to the official report, King Jacob was initially not convinced of the admission of her guilt, but later changed his mind. Sampson was taken to the Castlehill scaffold where she was burned at the stake on January 28, 1591.
Appearance
The ghost of Agnes Sampson is said to roam around Holyrood Palace, naked and shorn, scarred by torture.
Modern review
Judy Chicago dedicated an inscription to Agnes Sampson on the triangular floor tiles of the Heritage Floor of her installation The Dinner Party . The porcelain tiles labeled with the name Agnes Sampson are assigned to the place with the place setting for Petronilla de Meath .
Individual evidence
- ^ A b The Biographical Dictionary of Scottish Women . Edinburgh University Press, 2006, ISBN 978-0-7486-2660-1 , pp. 311 ( books.google.de ).
- ^ The Book of the Chronicles of Keith, Grange, Ruthven, Cairney, and Botriphnie: Events, Places, and Persons . R. Forrester, 1880, p. 53 ( books.google.de ).
- ↑ Kjøbenhavn i Aarene 1536–1660, første del. In: eremit.dk. Retrieved December 10, 2017 (Danish).
- ^ Translations and Reprints from the Original Sources of History . University of Pennsylvania Press, 1912, pp. 19 ( books.google.com ).
- ↑ Why you've more than a ghost of a chance of seeing a spook. In: scotsman.com. Retrieved December 11, 2017 .
- ^ Brooklyn Museum: Agnes Sampson. In: brooklynmuseum.org. Retrieved December 11, 2017 .
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Sampson, Agnes |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | Scottish midwife and healer |
| DATE OF BIRTH | 16th Century |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Scotland |
| DATE OF DEATH | January 28, 1591 |
| Place of death | Edinburgh |