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North Berwick witches in Scotland 1590-91 - Coggle Diagram
North Berwick witches in Scotland 1590-91
Gilly Duncan
Her employer was David Seaton, she was a maid
Pilliwinks (thumbscrews) were used on her , cords around her head
Witches mark found on the front of her throat
Confessed to her cures being the work of the devil October 1590
70 others implicated, such as Agnes Sampson
David Seaton asked her why she had stolen from his house and disappeared for days
James VI and Denmark
Married Anne of Denmark by proxy in 1589
Anne first attempted to sail to Scotland on the 1st September- Danish admiral Peter Munk could not recall ever witnessing storms as dangerous, claiming it was witchcraft
James originally wanted The Earl of Bothwell to travel to Denmark but it was too expensive so he went himself in October, he stayed until spring
Met with leading Danish theologian Neils Hemmingsen, with whom he discussed Calvinism in depth
James and Anne sailed back in a fleet, one ship was lost
Protection laws n 1547 enabled fairer trials
1576- guarantee that appeals against local court decisions could be heard in the high court in Copenhagen
high profile clergy began to label those who opposed them as witches
Lutheran bishop Peter Palladius encouraged people to speak up about suspected witchcraft- 52 witches burned in one hunt
Became James I of England in 1603
James was consistently cautious of plots against him after the number of plots throughout his childhood towards his mother, MQOS.
Struggling religious identity growing up, his mother was Catholic and his tutors were Calvinist, 1589 a Catholic attempted to attack Scotland, antichrist and anti Catholic works is Scotland became appealing
Newes from Scotland describes James as a devout Christian protected from witches, justifies his support for witch trials
Widespread witch-hunting
Fewer royal agents at the monarch's disposal, so local officials were usually allowed to pursue witch-hunts without interference- BIAS
By law, torture could only be used with consent of the privy council, parliament or Scotland, but because the Scottish mnarchy was weak, local judges could get away with using torture
Protestant reformation and high feeling of anti-Catholicism- feelings of suspicions of rituals and traditions
Notion of the devil offering eternal riches and a fruitful life at a time when the majority of the population was poor
Anna Koldings
letter from the 23rd july 1590 stated that Peter Munk demanded 5/6 suspected witches to be taken to Copenhagen, they were accused of sabotaging Anne and James' journey.
Anna Koldings was interrogated and tortured, illegal in Denmark
Named five other witches- all confessed to raising a storm to sink Anne's ship, and sending demons to climb onto the ship and pull it under the waves
Confessed that the women partiipated in meetings at the house of a woman named Karen the Weaver
Koldings was burned at the stake and at least 12 other women were executed
Danish authorities looked for other reasons before ultimately deciding witchcraft, e.g. a poorly constructed fleet
Agnes Sampson
Agnes was an old woman, midwife, healer, and cunning woman.
King James himself interrogated and examined Agnes at Holyrood palace in Edinburgh
Witches bridle used on her to prevent any charms from being said, cords tied around her limbs, sleep deprivation
Under torture, Sampson answered calmly and logically
Accused of sending letters to another witch planning to raise storms
Charged with heali ng the sick, discovering personal information on behalf of others, sailing across the sea in a sieve, calling on the devil in the shape of a dog
Agnes had precise knowledge of witchcraft, most likely from her experience as a healer, she had also travelled more than most and so had a high social circle
accused Barbara Napier, a friend of the Earl of Bothwell
John Fian
Schoolmaster from Saltpans, close to North Berwick
arrested on 20 December, 1590
Charged with 20 counts of witchcraft and high treason
Claimed he had renounced the devil, but then the devil came to him and told him he would never escape his clutches
escaped but then was recaptured and tortured under command of the King
Head twisted with a rope, needles driven under fingernails, placed in 'boots'
refused to confess, believed that this meant the devil was particularly entrenched in their soul
accused of leading witches meetings, robbing graves, flying, etc
features prominently in 'newes from Scotland'
Came into contact with many locals, as a a schoolmaster, apparent affairs with a number of married women, owned and taught from a number of Greek and Latin texts
Bothwell
Moved in the highest circles of Scottish society, as James' cousin
Originally trusted by James, became military commander and joined the privy council, and then lord high admiral of Scotland
Openly criticised James in 1587 for failing to prevent the execution of his mother MQOS
Agnes Sampson confessed that Bothwell had asked her to divine how long James would live, and what would happen after his death. Claimed he had encouraged her to send a familiar to kill the King
Arrested on 15 April 1591 and held at Edinburgh castle
summoned before the privy council, but denied any involvement. Escaped in June, believing the accusations were plots to diminish his political influence
As admiral, Bothwell suggested James made the journey with Anne, implicating him of the sinking ship.
Proclamation issued, publicly accusing Bothwell of being in league with the devil, depriving him of all titles and declaring him an outlaw
27 December he attacked Holyrood palace, but was repelled by James' guards. Escaped and went into hiding
24 July he went to Holyrood castle to plead to the King in person, James was convinced of Bothwell's innocence. Bothwell received an official pardon. Cleared of witchcraft charges in August
James became fearful of Bothwell's political influence, withdrew Bothwell's pardon and proclaimed that he had to go into exile and never approach the King again
Died in Naples, 1612
Daemonologie
published in 1597
Devil is powerful, dangerous, and present on Earth
Necromancers and witches have a close association with the devil
describes practices witches engage in
discusses the gathering of witches as inverted Protestant rituals
Discusses how to identify a witch e.g. devils mark, swimming test
States women are more vulnerable to the deceptions of the devil
Witches exist and should be persecuted by the authorities, anyone who denies this may be at league with the devil themselves
made as a a reaction to the trials of 1590-91
Judicial procedures
October 1591, five judges were named on commission with no specified subjects, given commission to torture at will
Commissions were given by the king mid 1592 to nobles and magistrates for the investigation and trial of witches
1596- James proclaimed that all requests for commissions into cases of witchcraft should be submitted to the privy council, rather than the king
James believed the Kirk was not doing enough, lack of strong central control
James believed in the divine right of kings but the kirk did not.
no instructions from government on how to carry out trials, trials were also done at a local level, with reports back to the privy council limited.
With no heir from James, Bothwell was next in line to the throne.