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Scottish Witchcraft

When you think of “witch”, what comes to mind? A wart-faced old woman in a black dress and a broom? In reality, all it took was a birthmark or a freckle, or singing and dancing outside, or just the accusation of someone who could execute you as a witch.

Although there have been stories of witchcraft since the beginning of time, the persecutions did not begin until the 16th century. The Witchcraft Act of 1563 made it illegal for anyone to be or join a witch. The first great persecution, the North Berwick Trials, began in 1590 with King James I and VI. Upon returning from Denmark with his new wife, a powerful storm nearly killed them. The king believed that witchcraft was the cause of the storm and arrested nearly 100 people. Many were tortured and burned alive.

The Forfar Witch Hunt of 1661 and the Auldearn Trials of 1662 were prolonged by accusations made by “witches” to save themselves. In the Aberdeen Trials, 7 women were accused of using magic to murder others and using body parts of victims to create potions. The 1704 Pittenween Trials were based on the word of a 16-year-old boy. Each of the accused was tortured. One was even crushed to death under large stones. Later it was discovered that the boy had made it all up.

The Renfrewshire Trials of 1695 began when 11-year-old Christian Shaw caught a maid drinking forbidden milk and threatened to tell his mother. The maid told the girl that the devil would take her to hell. Christian began having seizures and visions, claiming that the maid was torturing her. He vomited feathers, hay, wax, stones, even a hot coal. There were accounts of her floating around the room and moving things without touching them. He also accused several others of witchcraft. More than 20 men, women and children were imprisoned and examined by “witch bites”. Several children and a minister were found dead the morning of the trials. Fourteen of the accused were found not guilty. The rest were hanged and burned. Christian was cured after the executions.

The Witchcraft Act was abandoned in 1736. It is estimated that more than 4000 people were executed as witches in Scotland alone. Only 4 “witches” have been executed in Ireland and only 3 in Wales. So for those of you with freckles or birthmarks (like me), be thankful that things have changed!

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