WITCH HUNTING IN ENGLAND & SCOTLAND

I. English witch debate

   Reginald Scot,
       Discovery of Witchcraft 1584       (K&P#60)

       Skeptical of reality of witchcraft, follows Weyer
       Theological and scriptural arguments
                          Witch of Endor
       Four kinds of witches: innocent, deluded,
                poisoners, impostors ("couseners")

   James Stuart
       (James I of England 1603-1625, VI of Scotland)

          1589--marriage to Anne of Denmark
                          storm, trial of Dr. Fian for w/c   (K&P #48)
                          political context, Fian as opponent of King

          1597, Daemonologie           attack on Weyer/Scot
                               learned Latin treatise, theological approach
                                emphasizes the diabolical pact

   William Perkins: English Puritan

         On the Damned Art of Witchcraft, 1608

II/ Scottish witch trials vs English trials

Scotland's legal system: 

Inquisitorial procedure, use of torture, 
         influence of Roman law, penalty is burning

vs. England: customary, accusatory procedure

Centralized, political control of witch trials
         reviewed by Privy Council of King
        (but then often unsupervised, no appeal)

vs England: royal circuit court judges try cases
       except during English Civil War
       (case of Matthew Hopkins)

Religious differences
England: Anglican Church: more moderate

Scotland: Presbyterian (Calvinist)
               1560 Scottish Reformation under John Knox
                influence of Geneva and John Calvin
               role of consistories (church courts)
                      try moral & religious offenses, denunciations
               source of Scottish witchcraft accusations

1563 Scottish witchcraft act: death penalty
        for any magical activity or consultation

Scotland statistics:
        approx 1,000 executions out of 3,000 trials
       much more severe than England