Samlesbury witches
King James I, came to the English throne in 1603. He was influenced by the strict Scottish Reformation very much. He was very interested in witchcraft.  By the early 1590s, he was convinced that Scottish witches plotted against him. His 1597 book, Daemonologie, he told his followers that they must report and prosecute any supporters or practitioners of witchcraft. In 1604 a new witchcraft law was made, called "An Act against Conjuration, Witchcraft and dealing with evil and wicked spirits". Anyone who caused harm by the use of magic or the exhumation of corpses for magical purposes would be given the death penalty. James was, did not believe some of the evidence presented in witch trials, he even personally showed discrepancies in the testimonies presented against some accused witches.