30. Janet Boyman accurately predicted the death of Scotland’s regent, and so they burned her
Like Matteuccia di Francesco, Janet Boyman worked as a healer. Her herbal brews and strange instructions to her patients, such as saying certain verses, made her a suspicious character. Even worse, she also predicted the death of the Regent of Scotland, James Stewart. This was a safe bet, given how unstable and contested the Scottish throne was in the 16th century. But when he did, indeed, die, disappointed patients reported her prediction to the authorities. They charged her with witchcraft, and she confessed to consulting fairies to cure people. Enough was enough: she burned to death in Edinburgh in 1572.