Newes from Scotland
Newes from Scotland - declaring the damnable life and death of Dr. John Fian is a pamphlet printed in London in 1591, and likely written by James Carmichael, who later advised King James VI on the writing of his book Daemonologie.[1] It describes the infamous North Berwick witch trials in Scotland. Dr. John Fian, the supposed head of the coven, was tortured to obtain his confession most notably by the boot, the pilliwinks and by having his nails forcibly extracted. Also included in the pamphlet is an account of the alleged witches Agnes Sampson, known as the Wise Wife of Keith, and the principal accuser Gillis Duncan.
The pamphlet contains virtually the only contemporary illustrations of Scottish witchcraft.[2]
Original copies are kept at Glasgow University, and in the Bodleian Library at Oxford.[3]