And the saide Agnes Sampson by her depositions since her apprehension, saith, that if shee had obtayned anie one peece of linnen cloth which the Kinge had worne and fowlede, shee had bewitched him to death, and put him to such extraordinarie paines, as if he had been lying upon sharp thornes and endes of needles.
Moreover shee confessed, that at the time when his Majestie was in Denmarke, shee being accompanied by the parties before speciallie named, tooke a cat and christened it, and afterwarde bounde to each part of that cat, the cheefest part of a dead man, and several joynts of his bodie; and that in the night following, the saide cat was convayed into the middest of the sea by all the witches, sayling in their riddles or cives, as is aforesaid, and so left the saide cat right before the towne of Lieth in Scotland. This doone, there did arise such a tempest in the sea, as a greater hath not beene seene; which tempest was the cause of the perishing of a boat or vessel coming over from the towne of Brunt Islande to the towne of Lieth, wherein was sundrie jewelles and rich giftes, which should have been presented to the now Queene of Scotland at her Majesties coming to Lieth.
Againe it is confessed, that the said christened cat was the cause that the Kinges Majesties shippe at his coming forth of Denmarke had a contrarie winde to the rest of his shippes then being in his companie, which thing was most strange and true as the Kinges Majestie acknowlegeth, for when the rest of the shippes had a faire and good winde, then was the winde contrarie and altogether against his Majestie; and further, the sayde witche declared, that his Majestie had never come safely from the sea, if his faith had not prevayled above their intentions.[2]
Moreover, the saide witches being demaunded how the divell would use them when he was in their companie, they confessed, that when the divel did recyeve theme for his serventes, and that they had vowed themselves unto him, then he woulde carnally use them, albeit to their little pleasure, in respect to his colde nature,[3] and would doe the like at sundrie other times.
As touching the aforesaide Doctor Fian, alias John Cunningham, the examination of his actes since his apprehension, declareth the great subteltie of the divell, and therefore maketh thinges to appeare the more miraculous; for being apprehended by the accusation of the saide Geillies Duncane aforesaide, who confessed he was their register, and that there was not one man suffered to come to the divel's readinges but onlie hee, the saide Doctor was taken and imprisoned, and used with the accustomed paine provided for those offences, inflicted upon the rest as is aforesaide.
First, by thrawing of his head with a rope, whereat he would confess nothing.
Secondly, hee was persuaded by faire meanes to confesse his follies, but that would prevail as little.
Lastly, hee was put to the most severe and cruell paine in the worlde, called the bootes, who, after he had received three strokes, being inquired if hee would confess his damnable actes and wicked life, his toong would not serve him to speake, in respect whereof the rest of the witches willed to searche his toong, under which was found two pinnes thurst up into the heade; whereupon the witches did say, now is the charm stinted, and shewed, that those charmed pinnes were the cause he could not confesse any thing: then was he immediately released of the bootes, brought before the King, his confession was taken, and his own hand willingly set thereunto, which contained as followeth: