Unit 33 - The witch craze in Britain, Europe and North America, c1580-c1750
Institution
PEARSON (PEARSON)
Detailed and concise study notes from the North Berwick Witch Hunt depth study. Ideal for revision Edexcel History A level.
Covering the following (from the spec) -
DEPTH: THE NORTH BERWICK WITCHES IN SCOTLAND 1590-91 AND THE AFTERMATH TO 1597
The origins of the persecution:
• Gilly Duncan...
Unit 33 - The witch craze in Britain, Europe and North America, c1580-c1750
All documents for this subject (34)
1
review
By: hannahfdevine • 2 year ago
By: kirahesse • 1 year ago
Hi - I'm sorry that you found this resource less than satisfactory. Would it be possible for you to specify the problem so that I can rectify it?
Seller
Follow
kirahesse
Reviews received
Content preview
DEPTH STUDY 1 PACK
INTRODUCTION: THE NORTH BERWICK WITCHES 1590-7
Who was accused of being a witch in North Berwick?
What processes were used to identify a witch?
SCOTTISH WITCH-HUNTING
• Scottish witch-hunting contained many typical features
o A large number of women were accused
o They were charged with fraternizing with the devil
o A case of Maleficium was central to the case
HOWEVER - IT’S INTERESTING TO CONSIDER THE ROLE OF JAMES I AND HIS INTERTWINEMENT WITHIN THE
WITCH-HUNT. HE IS ARGUABLY ONE OF THE CENTRAL REASONS WHY THIS WITCH-HUNT ESCALATED.
• James uses the witch hunts as a political tool to get rid of his enemies.
• Witch-hunting in Scotland was more widespread and more intense than in England
o Scotland had a less complex system of government meaning there was less oversight
if things got out of hand
o According to law, torture could only be used upon the king’s consent, but a relatively
weak monarchy meant it occurred regardless. The privy council and parliament
could also legalise torture if the crime was deemed treasonous
§ 1591 torture warrant signed by James exists
§ Pre-trial torture saw beating, sleep deprivation, pricking for the Devil’s mark
- these were used to gain confessions which may then be used in a case
o Majority needed for conviction rather than unanimity
o The Calvinist church meant stricter hunting of Catholic elements
o Scotland was relatively poor and had a deeply patriarchal society
o There was a historical belief in fairies and folk magic.
• Religious situation in Scotland was very divided
o In the 1560s, Calvinists seized power and swept away Scottish Catholic institutions.
However, catholic resistance remained, and this led to religious tension
o By the 1580s, the Scottish clergy had more power to influence Scottish government
than the secular government in England
o The Kirk held a great deal of power and arguably influenced the monarch
o By the late 1580s, the General Assembly (Calvinist leaders) put pressure on the
government to prosecute witches.
• The Scottish legal system: there were 3 main secular courts where witches could be tried
o The Court of Judiciary: in Edinburgh, the highest court
o Circuit Courts: traveling courts held in various shires and presided over by judges
, o Regality Courts: exercised judicial powers devolved from the from the Crown to try
serious crimes. These were presided over by local landowners and NOT trained
judges. These had a higher conviction and execution rate.
• However, the Scottish Privy Council routinely performed judicial services
The Context of the Case
• Scotland was a rural and undeveloped country
o 1/5th of the population lived in small and scattered towns, the other 80% in villages
o Edinburgh was the largest town – 18,000 people (compared with 250,000 in London)
• Most of society lived in subsistence farming i.e. farming to have enough food to live on
Levack (2007) – There was a succession of harvest failures and resultant famine in the 16th century
which led to “a general sense of anxiety” in Scotland.
• There seems to have been no major increase in witchcraft cases following the 1563 Act
o 60 cases in the 1560s
o 6 cases in the 1570s
o 14 in the 1580s
• Before 1590, suspected witches were charged with Maleficium rather than making a pact with
the devil/meeting at Sabbats (which were two very different types of crimes – making a pact
with the devil cannot be proven/disproven whereas Maleficium is a conscious action)
Larner (1981) claims that the differences between the witchcraft trials before 1590 and North
Berwick are “clear cut”
-> this difference can be attributed to the influence of King James.
2
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller kirahesse. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for $7.14. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
