The witch craze in Britain, Europe and North America, c1580–c1750 - 1 The…

The idea

The North Berwick witch hunt widened from a local dispute into a royal conspiracy because interrogation implicated more people. Agnes Sampson, a respected healer, was arrested and examined before James VI; under torture she confessed to assembling with the Devil and to plotting the king's death by storm at sea. John Fian, a schoolmaster, was accused of leading the coven and was tortured and executed. James personally supervised interrogations, and torture was authorised to extract names, turning suspects into informants. The Earl of Bothwell was named as a conspirator, linking witchcraft to political treason. Confessions, trials and executions spread fear, encouraged further accusations and left a legacy of royal authority over witchcraft.

What earns the marks

• Explains how Agnes Sampson's case widened the net: her status as a cunning woman and her confession under torture implicated others, including John Fian and the Earl of Bothwell.
• Analyses the role of King James VI: his personal involvement in interrogation, his belief in the threat, and his use of torture to obtain confessions and names.
• Assesses the involvement of the Earl of Bothwell: accusations against him turned the witch hunt into a political faction struggle, linking sorcery to treason against the crown.
• Evaluates the impact of confessions, trials and executions: they created a climate of fear, legitimised further accusations, and established a model for later Scottish witch hunts to 1597.
• Uses specific evidence, such as the storm at sea, the assembly at North Berwick kirk, and the fate of John Fian, to support arguments about the widening net.

Common mistakes and how to put them right

• Treating the North Berwick hunt as only a local event.

  Put it right: It became a royal and political conspiracy because the king and the Earl of Bothwell were drawn in.

• Assuming torture was routine and unregulated.

  Put it right: In Scotland torture required authorisation, and James's personal involvement made it central to this case.

• Confusing Agnes Sampson and John Fian.

  Put it right: Sampson was a healer whose confession implicated others; Fian was a schoolmaster accused of leading the coven and was executed.

• Ignoring the political dimension.

  Put it right: The naming of Bothwell shows how witchcraft accusations could be used to attack political enemies.

Exam tips

• Plan your answer around the four clauses: Sampson and Fian, the king and torture, Bothwell, and the impact of confessions, trials and executions.
• Use precise dates and names, such as 1590–91, Agnes Sampson, John Fian and the Earl of Bothwell, to show secure knowledge.
• When discussing impact, distinguish between immediate effects (arrests and executions) and longer-term effects (fear and further hunts to 1597).
• Link each point back to the idea of a 'widening net' to keep your argument focused.