Witchcraze - Witch Hunts

Give three legal reasons why witch hunting was widespread in Scotland

1. Lack of central control so local officials were allowed to pursue witch hunts without interference.
2. Torture could be used to extract a confession (needed the consent of the Privy Council but often happened illegally)
3. The jury only needed a majority to convict rather than a unanimous decision.

When was the Scottish witchcraft act passed by Mary Queen of Scots?

1563

When was the North Berwick witch hunt?

1590-91

What was the name of Gilly Duncan's employer?

David Seaton - local deputy-bailiff

How was Gilly Duncan tortured?

Pilliwinks (thumb-screws), Chords around the head

What may have been David Seaton's motivations for torturing her? (x2)

1. Stealing
2. An affair that ended?

When did Anne of Denmark first attempt to travel to Scotland?

1st September 1589

Who first attributed the storms that prevented Anne from crossing to Scotland to witchcraft?

Danish admiral Peter Munk - didn't want to be accused of negligence.

Who suggested that James should sail to Denmark in person?

The treasury and the Earl of Bothwell who was Admiral of Scotland

When did James leave Edinburgh?

October 1589

When did Anne and James depart from Denmark and arrive in Scotland?

Departed April 1590
Arrived May 1590

Who did James meet in Denmark that influenced his belief in witchcraft?

Neils Hemmingsen (Danish theologian)

What is a play that James attended about witchcraft that he referenced in an essay in 1584?

Flyting (1580)

When was an order given by the general kirk that witches should repent for their sins?

1573

What was Neils Hemmingsens' book on magic called?

Avoiding magic and superstition (1575)

When was reform passed in Denmark that allowed fair witch trials? (2 dates, three assurances)

1547 and 1576 (torture not allowed, appeals would be heard, no testimony from disreputable people)

When was the connection first made between Scottish and Danish witchcraft in the North Berwick case?

July 1590 when a crazed woman arrived from Leith and prophesised James would carry out noble deeds. Later that month news reached Scotland that witches had been arrested in Denmark for conjuring the storm.

How many Danish witches were executed by burning for causing the storms? Give one example

13 women including Anna Koldings and Karen the Weaver

Who did the execution of witches in Denmark protect?

Christopher Valkendorff, minister of finance who was initially accused of providing an inadequate and poorly constructed fleet

How was Agnes Sampson tortured? (x3)

witch's bridle, chords around the limbs, sleep deprivation

What were the charges against Agnes Sampson? (x4)

1) healing the sick (she was a known practitioner of white magic beforehand)
2) discovering information
3) sailing across the sea in a sieve
4) calling on the Devil in the shape of a dog named Elva, i.e. having a familiar

What did Agnes Sampson tell James that convinced him she was a witch?

The exact words that passed between James and Anne on their wedding night.

Give an example of two people Agnes Sampson implicated in her confession.

Barbara Napier (friend of the Earl of Bothwell), Richard Graham (royal courtier accused of being a magician), Effie McCalyan (Daughter of the well respected Lord Cliftonhall)

When was John Fian arrested?

20th December 1590 in Saltpans

How many counts of witchcraft and high treason was he charged with?

20

What torture methods were used on John Fian? (x3)

head twisted with rope, needles driven under his fingernails, placed in the boots which burst his bones

Give an example of three crimes committed by John Fian

1) secretary at coven meetings
2) giving the kiss of shame to the Devil
3) dismembering unbaptised babies
4) bewitching a woman to fall in love with him and instead bewitching a cow

When was Mary Queen of Scots executed?

1587

When was the catholic George Gordon plot to overthrow James and launch a Spanish investigation of Scotland discovered?

February 1589

What were the reasons that James was so enthusiastic about the hunts?

1. Religious tensions made it easy to believe that the catholic antichrist was at work in Scotland.
2. Genuine belief in Divine Right saw devil worshipping as a threat
3. Trials could aid him politically by promoting his image as a godly protestant in England

What did James do after Barbara Napier was acquitted?

James arranged for the jurors to be tried for their error.

What are the three events (occuring throughout the 1580s) that destroyed Bothwell and James' relationship?

1583 - involved in a plot to oust the royal favourite the Earl of Arran
1587 - criticised James for allowing the execution of MQoS
1589 - found guilty of treason by his sentenced was deferred

Which two suspects confessed that Bothwell was part of the conspiracy?

Agnes Sampson and Richard Graham

When was Bothwell arrested?

15th April 1591

When was Bothwell summoned to the privy council to explain himself?

April 1591

When did Bothwell stage his first attack on Edinburugh?

27th December 1591

When did Bothwell attack Edinburgh for the second time?

June 1592

When did Bothwell and his associates enter Holyrood Palace to seek a pardon from James?

24th July 1593 - Bothwell was cleared of all charges

Why did James withdraw Bothwell's pardon in September 1593?

He feared Bothwell's growing political influence and wanted to send him into exile

When was Bothwell's last uprising?

March 1594 - he withdrew to the English border and eventually departed for mainland Europe.

How many people were implicated in the North Berwick witch hunts?

70

Which accused witches were executed? (give three examples)

1) Gilly Duncan - hanged
2) John Fian, Agnes Sampson and Effie McCalyan - executed by strangulation then burned
3) Margaret Acheson - likely executed

What were the years of the 'general commission'?

1591-97

When were 5 judges named on a commission and given the ability to torture at will?

October 1591

When were commissions given by the king to magistrates and nobles for the investigation of witches?

mid 1592

When did James request that all requests for commissions be sent to the privy council rather than the King personally?

1596

When was Sir William Steward given a commission to investigate sorcery and witchcraft in the Highlands and Islands region?

1596

Why did the case of Alison Balfour reduce the amount of commissions given by the privy council after 1597?

Miscarriage of justice. She was tortured for two days without a warrant from the King. Her 81 year old husband had iron bars pressed against him and her seven year old daughter was tortured with thumbscrews.

When was the next great hunt after north berwick?

1597

How many accusation were made during the great witch hunt?

400

Who travelled around Scotland 'identifying' witches for the authorities?

Margaret Aitken - when she began to identify people as witches that she had previously claimed were innocent the authorities became suspicious.

Why is the great witch hunt less well known than North Berwick?

It took place at local level so there is less documentation.

When did relations between James and the Kirk breakdown?

1592 (they were in open conflict by 1596 due to James' unwillingness to take action against Catholics)

When was Daemonologie published?

1597

How is daemonologie presented?

As a dialogue between Philomathes (a sceptic) and Epistemon

What are the key points in Daemonologie?

- Witches make pacts with the devil and renounce their Christian baptism at coven initiations
- Witches only have certain powers because God limited the powers of the Devil at the beginning of time

What guidance does James provide for hunting witches?

- Searching for the Devil's mark
- Recommends the swimming test
- Fasting and prayer to cure demonic possession
- Women are vulnerable to the Devil as discussed in Genesis

Where did James show an interest in interrogating witches in 1597?

Stirlingshire - property dispute between the Heron and the Menteith family led to the Herons being accused of witch craft. James took an interest in this case.

When did James become more sceptical of witchcraft allegations?

1597

How was James personally responsable for the trials being widespread?

James popularised the hunting and gave officials a free hand to carry out torture - e.g. the years of general commision, having Napier's jury trialed for error

Why was John Fian disliked? What did he have in common with Agnes sampson?

- He was well known for his sexual promiscuity, having many affairs with married women in the area
- He was a school teacher and travelled relatively far for his work - as Agnes Sampson did for her healing

Which accused witche survived the north berwick hunt?

Barbara Napier - her friends managed to prove that she was pregnant so her trial was delayed and no execution is recorded.

How was Margaret Acheson involved in the trials?

She was accused by Napier and Sampson of meeting the Devil - shows how the trials sustain themselves through confessions

What socio-economic factors led to the trial becoming widespread?

1) Lack of central control and a weak monarchy allowed officials to carry out witch hunts as they pleased
2) Scotland was a very patriarchal society with a well-entrenched belief in folk magic. Women were quick to be accused (e.g. James' biblican arguments in Daemonology)
3) The judicial system e.g. majority verdicts and little regulation made convictions likely.

How did natural events impact the witch hunts, causing them to become widespread?

1590-91 was heavily associated with storms (the crossing from Denmark to Scotland, Agnes sailing the sea in a seive)
1597 was associated with famine and disease.

How was Massachusetts governed for most of its existence?

Massachusetts was theocracy. Members of the Puritan church had the exclusive right to vote for local officials

Why was Governor Edmund Andros unpopular with the puritan establishment in America?

- Was appointed by James II and attempted to impose high church Anglicanism
- Created new import and export taxes
- Voided puritan landownership

When did the colonists in Boston revolt against Andros?

April 1689

Who was Massachusetts governed by after the revolt?

- Andros' former agents
- Former colony leaders
- High profile puritans

When was the new charter imposed on Massachusetts?

October 1691

How did William III ensure that Massachusetts did not fall into religious rule after the revolt against Andros?

- Voting eligibility was based on property ownership rather than religious denomination
- All officials were appointed by the crown rather than elected
- The governor had the power to block new laws passed by the council

What was the impact of the new charter on life in Massachusetts?

Less representation from local Puritan leaders meant that there was limited legal authority and disputes could not be settled as easily.
Many people felt their lives had been disrupted by outside forces.

When was King Philip's War?

1675-1678

What proportion of military aged men were killed in King Phillip's War?

1/10th. This disrupted the economy in Salem.

How did Native American attacks foster paranoia in Salem?

Many puritans saw the attack's as God's way of punishing settlers for their sins. Many believed Native Americans were in league with the Devil

When was the First Navigation Act passed?

1651

How did the Navigation Act affect Massachusetts?

- They furthered British interests instead of the colonists by directing money and resources to England.
- It became more difficult to ship grain to England forcing farmers in Salem to diversify.
- Fishermen were forced to pay higher prices to transport their goods to England as they could no longer use cheaper Dutch ships.

What was the impact of the scientific revolution on Massachusetts?

People in Salem largely ignore scientific developments and chose to attribute crop failures, fires, illnesses and hallucinations as the work of the Devil.

What were the social tensions between Salem town and Salem village?

Salem village was a strongly puritan agricultural society that wanted independence from the town. Salem town was a merchant area that relied on agricultural produce from the village. This created tensions in Salem at times of poor harvest as Salem town remained affluent.

Who were the Putnams?

A prominent family in Salem village that led calls for independence. They were heavily involved in accusations. The porters were a rich family from Salem Town in opposition to the Putnams that were accused after their attempts to end the witch craze.

Who was Cotton Mather?

A third generation colonist and puritan minister. Published over 400 books and became a leading authority on puritanism.

When was Memorable Provinces relating to Witchcrafts and Possessions published?

1689

What was the role of Mather's Memorable Provinces relating to Witchcrafts and Possessions in the Salem hunts?

They acted as a guide for the trials. Contained sermons on how to detect witches and accounts of the Goodwin possessions which influenced the Salem trials.

What happened during the Goodwin Possessions, Boston 1688?

Martha Goodwin, 13, accused her irish-catholic family laundress, Mary Glover of theft. Martha Goodwin fell into fits which the doctor attributed to Witchcraft. Mary Glover was arrested, effigies were found in her house and she was unable to recite the Lord's Prayer (because she only spoke Gaelic).

What moderate views about witch hunting did Cotton Mather hold?

Evidence from a witch should never be used to charge another suspect as the Devil tried to incriminate innocent people.

Why was Minister Samuel Parris unpopular with villagers?

He was an outsider to the community who often failed to properly resolve disputes. Salem villagers refused to pay bis wages after he bought gold candlesticks for the Puritan meeting house.

How did Parish's preaching widen divides in Salem?

He delivered many sermons suggesting the church was under siege from wicked men and the Devil which increased mistrust and suspicion.

What behaviour did Elizabeth Parris begin to exhibit that led doctor William Griggs to conclude she was bewitched?

She lost focus on her prayer, bark like a dog, scream loudly and throw her Bible across the room

Which other girls began to show signs of possession?

Abigail Williams, Ann Putnam, Mary Walcott, Mercy Lewis and Elizabeth Hubbard

How were Ann, Abigail and Elizabeth's testimony taken to court despite their age?

They were endorsed by their fathers.

Of the 29 people who were accused by Elizabeth Hubbard how many were hanged?

13

How were Mary Lewis' parents killed?

In a Native American attack.

What have historians suggested as the motivation behind the girl's accusations?

- Psychological disorder/trauma
- Boredom/escapism

How did Tituba become involved in the Salem witch hunts?

She was ordered to make a witch's cake by Mary Walcott's aunt. Samuel Parris then became suspicious and filed charges against her and her husband which initiated the hunts. It is likely that Tituba brought over superstitions and stories from the Caribbean which influenced the girls' fantasies.

What did Tituba confess?

- Witchcraft
- A pact with the Devil
- Flying
She was beaten by Samuel Parris and forced to confess

What percentage of the accused in Salem were women?

80%

Who else did Tituba implicate in the witch trials?

Sarah Goode and Sarah Osborne

Why was Sarah Goode accused?

She was a 40 year old homeless woman who was a social outcast. Her own husband and daughter testified against her.

Why was Sarah Osborne accused?

She was a widow of relatively high social standing who lived with her unmarried indentured servant. She tried to remove her children from her dead husband's will which raised suspicions.

Why was Bridget Bishop accused?

She ran an inn that went against puritan values.
Was known as a woman with an 'independent mind'