Napier,Barbara
Case Reference: C/EGD/103
| Case Ref | C/EGD/103 |
|---|---|
| Accused | Barbara Napier |
| Case Start Date | 27/1/1591 |
| Case Date | 10/5/1591 |
| Common Name | Napier,Barbara |
|---|
| Type | Primary | Secondary |
|---|---|---|
| Consulting | — | ✓ |
| Demonic | — | ✓ |
| Implicated by Another | — | ✓ |
| Treason | ✓ | ✓ |
| Not Enough Info | — | ✓ |
| White Magic | — | ✓ |
Notes: Part of the North Berwick witch hunt. It involved many people and many accustions about witches meetings, specifically two separate attempts to sink the royal ships. The first to sink Queen Anne on her way home, second to trouble King James after he went to get her in Denmark.
| Devil Present | Yes |
|---|---|
| Communal Sex | No |
| Devil Worship | Yes |
| Food and Drink | No |
| Dancing | Yes |
| Singing | Yes |
Notes: Prior to the North Berwick description there is a detailed account of who was supposed to do what in preparation for the meeting. They supposedly made potions with weird things, got bed linen from the King, sent people off to do things. A very organised plan. See Agnes Sampson (c/egd/63) for basic description of the North Berwick meeting. Napier's additions include - meeting at Halloween, there was a goat bird there. Napier and McCalyean were in charge of making wax images of the king but they were no't ready yet. They weren't supposed to use their real names at the meeting.
Meeting Places
| Place | Location | Inversion |
|---|---|---|
| Kirk | North Berwick | Yes |
| Shore | Aitchesounes-heavin between musselburgh and pannes | No |
Baptised a cat.
| Type | Text |
|---|---|
| New name | Naip |
Devil Appearances
| Type | Text |
|---|---|
| Male | black man |
| Elphane/Fairyland | — |
|---|---|
| Food/Drink | — |
| Verbal Formulae | — |
| Ritual Acts | ✓ |
| Familiars | — |
| Shape Changing | — |
|---|---|
| Dreams/Visions | — |
| Unorthodox Religious Practice | — |
| Sympathetic Magic | ✓ |
| Riding Dead | — |
Notes: Not the typical love magic, this was done to get Dame Jeane Lyoune Lady Angus to love her, by which I think they mean to show her favour? She paid Agnes Sampson a ring and a head scarf. She was also accused of consulting Rychard Grahame as to whether or not the king would come home from Denmark. She was acquitted of making wax images and of being at the North Berwick meeting. Extended description of potions made out of strange materials.
Ritual Objects
- Wax/clay images
- Toad
- Urine (stale)
- Snake skin
- Cat
- Revenge
| Type | Text |
|---|---|
| Trump |
- Consulting
| Source | Reference | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| High Court Minute Books | JC6/3 May 1591 | This is pleadings where Napier is trying to get certain people off of her assize. |
| Pitcairn | v I, part II, page 240-241 | same text as JC2/2, Also listed in the High Court Record Index, no. 1 for 5/5/1591. |
| Books of Adjournal | JC2/2 fos. 201r-207r | |
| Pitcairn | v I, part ii, page 242-244 | her trial, same text as JC2/2 |
| Books of Adjournal | JC2/2 fos. 213r-214v | her trial |
| Pitcairn | v I, part II, page 244-247 | dittay contained in the trial for willful error against the assize for her trial. Same as JC2/2 |
| Books of Adjournal | JC2/2 fo. 218v - 221r | |
| Calendar of State Papers Relating to Scotland | v. 10 p. 510 | King James ordered doctors to examine her to determine whether or not she was pregnant. |
| Calendar of State Papers Relating to Scotland | v. 10 p. 522-525 | Report from Bowes to Burghley about the investigations into Napier and the processes against her assize for willful error. And the inquest of her assize in the tolbooth, from 7/6/1591. |
| Process Notes | JC26/2 witchcraft bundle, item 24 | In bad condition! |
| Process Notes | JC26/2 witchcraft bundle, item 2 | item 1 is blank |
| High Court Minute Books | JC6/3 | no pagination - 8 and 10 May 1591 (this entry is 6 folios long) |