Witch-hunting in Early Modern Scotland - A Peasant Movement or Governmental Initiative - BA Major Thesis by Tomáš Zahradníček (2006).pdf
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MasarykUniversity
FacultyofArts
DepartmentofEnglishandAmericanStudies
WitchhuntinginearlymodernScotland:
apeasantmovementorgovernmentalinitiative?
B.A.MajorThesis
ByTomášZahradníček
Supervisor:PhDr.LidiaKyzlinková,M.Litt.
Brno2006
Acknowledgement:
Iwouldliketothankmysupervisor,Dr.LidiaKyzlinkováforhertimeandheradvice.
IdeclarethatIhaveworkedonthisthesisindependently,usingonlythematerialslistedinthe
bibliography.
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Contents:
IntroductionÈÈÈÈÈÈÈÈÈÈÈÈÈÈÈÈÈÈÈÈÈÈÈ...È......4
I. Popular witchcraft-beliefsÈÈÈÈÈ..ÈÈÈÈÈÈÈÈÈÈÈÈÈÈ.5
I.1.GeneralBackgroundandDistinctions………………………………..5
II.2.
C
harmers……………………………………………………….….....6
I.2.1.Ritualsofthecharmers………………………………………9
II. Demonization of the with-beliefs and the Demonic Pact..ÈÈÈÈÈÈ13
III. Witch-hunting and Prosecutions of WitchcraftÈÈÈÈÈÈÈÈ...È19
III.1.HistoryofWitchhunting………………………………………….19
III.2.TheProcess…………………………………………………….….21
III.3.SocialControl……………………………………………………...30
IV. VictimsÈÈÈÈÈÈÈÈ..ÈÈÈÈÈÈÈÈÈÈÈÈÈÈÈ...ÈÈ.32
IV.1.ClassificationoftheScottishWitches…………………….……….32
IV.2.GenderingtheWitches…………………………………………….33
V. Decline of the Witch-huntÈÈÈÈÈÈÈÈÈÈÈÈÈÈÈÈÈÈÈ38
VI. ConclusionÈÈÈÈÈÈÈÈÈÈÈÈÈÈÈÈÈÈÈÈÈÈÈÈÈ42
BibliographyÈÈ.ÈÈÈ...ÈÈÈ..ÈÈÈÈÈÈÈÈÈÈÈÈÈÈÈÈ.44
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Introduction
TheHistoryofearlymodernScotlandwascloudedbyextensivewitchhunting.Inmythesis
IexploretheperiodofScottishwitchhuntingfrom1563,whenwitchcraftofficiallybecame
anoffencedejurepunishablebydeath,to1736,whenitceasedtobeacrime.Ifocusonthe
witchcraftbeliefsinScotland,itspractitionersandhowthesepeoplebecametargetsofthe
prosecutions.Ipayspecialattentiontowhatcausedthewitchhuntsandwhytheyoccurred
whentheydid.I’mnotpresentingthoroughstatistics,discussingindividualtrialsorindividual
panicsindetailsasthiskindofresearchwouldpresentenoughinformationforabook,rather
thanthesis.Instead,IwanttoexploregeneralcontextofScottishwitchhuntingofearly
modernperiodwithaspecialattentiontooneofthisparticularlyintriguingandoften
neglectedaspects.
ThepopularliteratureandmoviessuchasThe crucible(1996)oftenpresenthewitch
huntsaspeasantmovementsdrivenbysuperstitionofcommonfolks.Thisviewisalsoshared
bymanyscholarsadvocatingthebottomupprocessofwitchhunting.Mytaskandmain
themeofthisthesisistopresentaninvertedconcept;onethatexploreswitchhuntinginterms
ofhighlycentralizedgovernmentaloperation.
Idividemyworkintosixchapters.InthefirstchapterIofferabackgroundtoScottish
witchbeliefsoftheperiodexplored.InthesecondchapterIfocusonthedemonizationof
thesepopularbeliefsbytheProtestantChurch.InchapterthreeIdescribethelegalstructure
responsiblefortryingthecrimeofwitchcraft,andtheprocessfromanaccusationtopassing
ofasentence.Chapterfourexploresthenatureofthetargetsofthewitchpanicsandthefifth
howthewitchpanicscametoanend.TheSixthchapteroffersaconclusionandasummaryof
thepointsImadethroughoutmythesis.
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I.PopularWitchcraftbeliefs
I.1.GeneralBackgroundandDistinctions
Theideaofwitchcraftisnotuniversalinprimitiveorpreindustrialsocieties,butitiswidely
present.Inattempttoidentifyauniversalelementofwitchcraftinsuchavarietyofcultures
acrosstimeandspace,Larnerdefineswitchcraftasanevilpower.Furthermorethispoweris
distinguishedfromphysicalforceoranyothermechanismornaturalphenomenonwithinthe
technologicalunderstandingofthesocietyconcerned.Witchcraftisasupernaturalevilandits
practitionerswerethereforeevilpersons.(Larner,7)
AbeliefintheexistenceofthefiguretraditionallyunderstoodasawitchintheEnglish
languagecanbefoundineveryinhabitedcontinentoftheworld.RonaldHuttoninhisessay
The global context of the Scottish with-huntidentifiesfivegeneralfactorsofthisfigurethat
haveacertaindegreeofuniversalitydespiteoftensignificantdifferencesbetweenculturesand
theirideologies.First,itisapersonwhousessupernaturalpowerstocausemisfortuneor
injurytoothers.Second,thepersonusuallyharmsneighborsorkinratherthanstrangers.
Third,thispersonworksnotforstraightforwardmaterialgainbutfromenvyormalice.Heor
sheiseitherinherentlyevilorpossessedbyevilforce.Fourth,theappearanceofsuchafigure
isnotanisolatedevent.Thewitchworksinatradition,eitherbyinheritance,trainingor
initiation.Fifth,thispersoncanbeopposedbyusingcountermagic,orbyforcinghimorher
torevoketheirownmagic,orbyeliminatinghimorherdirectly.(Hutton,4)
Ofcourse,thereisanumberoffactorsthatmodifytheseconstantcharacteristicssuch
associalstatus,gender,whetherheorsheworksasanindividualorasapartofasecret
society,actsdeliberatelyorinvoluntarilyandothervariables.Itisvirtuallyimpossibletofind
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