In the shadowy backdrop of early modern Scotland's witch trials, the case of Agnes Sampsoune stands as a poignant testament to the turbulent and perilous era for those accused of witchcraft. A widow residing in Nether Keith near Edinburgh, Agnes's life took a grave turn in 1591, as she was accused and subsequently convicted of practicing harmful magic—or "maleficium"—and attending gatherings of witches. These charges likely subjected her to intense scrutiny and interrogation, culminating in a detailed confession that was reported to William Cecil, Lord Burghley, reflecting the high-level interest in her case. Agnes confessed to 58 of the 102 accusations against her, a prodigious sum that illustrates the extent of charges the prosecution brought forth in her trial.
The trial proceedings documented Agnes's conviction by an assize on January 21, 1591, with the verdict ensuring a grim fate—execution by strangulation followed by burning at Castle Hill on January 28, 1591. Her confession, documented the day prior to her execution, reveals that Agnes was seen as part of an extensive network of alleged accomplices, including numerous individuals both named and unnamed, some of whom purportedly corroborated her involvement. Despite the grave accusations, it was recorded that Agnes died penitent and praying for her salvation, highlighting a personal conflict between her faith and the accusations levied against her. Her fate, like that of many others during this period, serves as a poignant reminder of the risks faced by individuals, especially women, during the witch trials of the 16th and 17th centuries in Scotland.