Barbara Napier
[2] The chronicle writer David Moysie wrote that Napier and Euphame MacCalzean were "wemen of guid reputation afoir", meaning they were members of the wealthy classes,[3] and similar remarks appear in other contemporary sources about their good standing in the community.
[5] The witchcraft trials and accusations in 1591 were connected with the recent voyage of James VI to meet Anne of Denmark, which was troubled by "contrary winds"[6] and a political controversy involving Francis Stewart, 5th Earl of Bothwell.
[13] Geillis Duncan, a woman accused of witchcraft, alleged in her confession that Barbara Napier had caused the illness of Archibald Douglas, 8th Earl of Angus.
[16] Donald Robinson made a confession that Euphame MacCalzean, Barbara Napier, Agnes Sampson and others had attended an assembly of witches at "Atkynson's or Acheson's Haven" where an image of James VI was passed around and given to the devil for the destruction of the king.
Agnes Sampson and Barbara Napier met at Dalkeith and "Camroune-brig-end" near the Braid Burn, for friendly talks and to "contract hameliness".
[24] The English ambassador in Edinburgh, Robert Bowes, heard that Napier and others were accused of a practice to kill the king by witchcraft and "compassing" the death of the Earl of Angus, and would be tried on 12 April.
She was acquitted of involvement with Sampson in making an image of the Earl of Angus, and attending the alleged convention of witches at North Berwick.
[30] James VI ordered the Chancellor John Maitland of Thirlestane to have her examined by physicians her to see if she was pregnant, and if she was not, to have her burnt and publicly disembowelled.
[31] James wrote to Maitland with his instructions to continue questioning Euphame MacCalzean and Ritchie Graham:Try, by the mediciners' oaths, if Barbara Napier be with bairn or not.
[32]The king wanted an appeal to overturn the first verdict against Napier, in order to better prosecute the Earl of Bothwell, and an "assize of error" was planned.
The lawyers offered some opposition to James VI, arguing that his views confounded a "nice" distinction between civil and criminal law.
[36] Her property was forfeit to the crown by "escheat", and passed to Robert Learmonth and to the Earl of Morton, who arranged that the goods would return to Barbara Napier's daughter.
