Agnes Sampsoune, a widow residing in Nether Keith, near Edinburgh, found herself at the centre of an extensive legal proceeding during the heightened period of the Scottish witch trials in early 1591. The charges brought against Agnes were wide-ranging, encompassing allegations of *maleficium*—or harmful magic—and participation in illicit witches' meetings. Her case was of sufficient gravity that details were relayed beyond the local jurisdiction, with correspondence regarding her confession sent from Bowes to William Cecil, Lord Burghley, in London. Within this formal dittay of 102 items, Agnes admitted to 58 of the charges levelled against her, leaving a detailed trail of her recorded testimony from the days preceding her final sentencing.
The legal reach of her case was profound, as evidenced by the sheer number of individuals who implicated Agnes as an accomplice in their own trials, including notable figures such as Gelie Duncan, Ewfame Makcalzene, and John Fean. This vast network of denunciations suggests that Agnes was viewed as a central figure in a broader web of alleged conspirators that included many others from her community and beyond. Following a conviction by an assize, she was sentenced to death. On 28 January 1591, Agnes was executed at Castle Hill in Edinburgh, where the sentence was carried out by strangulation followed by burning. Records indicate that she met her end penitent, spending her final moments in prayer for her own salvation.
