John Fian

Who was John Fian?

Dr John Fian was a Scottish schoolmaster and purported Warlock.

Fian was schoolmaster in Prestonpans, East Lothian. He was accused along with Agnes Sampson, and others of raising storms to sink the fleet returning King James VI of Scotland and his wife Anne of Denmark, from their wedding celebrations in Oslo. He was arrested and put to torture, in what would become known infamously as the North Berwick witch trials.

The torture that he endured was: having his fingernails forcibly extracted, then having iron pins thrust therein, the Pilliwinks, and The Boot. He was finally taken to the Castlehill in Edinburgh and burnt at the stake on the 16th of December. The cost of his execution was £5 18s 2d.