Witch Hunts in the Western World: Persecution and Punishment From the Inquisition Through the Salem Trials by Brian Pavlac

Author:Brian Pavlac [Pavlac, Brian]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Europe, United States, Nonfiction, Reference, History, Law & Order, Executions, Medieval, Paranormal, Witchcraft, 16th Century, 17th Century, 18th Century
ISBN: 9780313348730
Publisher: ABC-CLIO
Published: 2009-01-15T05:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 5: WITCH-HUNTING IN THE BRITISH REALMS

Witch-hunting in the British Isles varied according to region. By 1400, England politically dominated both Wales and Ireland. Neither of these areas experienced much witch-hunting, perhaps because the tensions around English supremacy provided enough outlets for local fears and complaints. The Welsh and the Irish could always blame the English for their misfortunes. In contrast, Scotland retained its hard-fought independence until 1603, when its king, James VI (r. 1567–1625), also became James I of England (r. 1603–1625). Both before and after that unification, Scotland experienced the most frequent and vicious witch-hunting in the British Isles, with three times as many victims as in England. Given the comparatively small and scattered population of Scotland, the witch hunts also had a greater impact on the people than in neighboring England. The different regions within England, meanwhile, experienced varying levels of witch-hunting. Some counties, like Essex and Lancashire, saw far more than most, while many areas suffered almost none. In all areas, though, the fear of witches wove itself into British culture.

IRISH WITCHES

Ireland’s infrequent hunting might seem surprising, given the notoriety of the early witch trial of Lady Kyteler (see Chapter 2). Later strixologists continued to cite the hunt. The case remained, though, nearly unique in Ireland and its century. During the age of the witch hunts, only a handful of trials occurred in Ireland, and no panics. In 1660, the servant Mary Longdon allegedly suffered possession because of Florence Newton, the Witch of Yougal, yet whether Newton was convicted or not is unknown. In 1711, at Carrickfergus, eighteen-year-old Mary Dunbar accused seven women of tormenting her with fits, making her vomit feathers, pins, and buttons, and causing poltergeist activity.

The authorities put the seven women on trial. Fortunately for them, they were only sentenced to four times in the stocks and a year in prison.

The stocks or pillory were a frequent penalty for crimes in both Scotland and England, including first-time or mild offenses of witchcraft. Familiar today from media and recreations, the stocks were wooden devices that imprisoned the legs, arms, and/or neck, while displaying the guilty for public scrutiny and humiliation. The mocking by the local population formed an essential part of the punishment, confirming to the community the criminal’s antisocial behavior. The hope was that humiliation would lead to a reform of behavior so that the punishment would not have to be repeated. The stocks were, of course, also used for many different kinds of offenses, both moral and criminal. They have been closely associated with Puritan zealotry.

SCOTTISH PERSECUTIONS

Scholars have suggested a number of reasons for the greater intensity of witch-hunting in Scotland. One reasonable explanation is that Scotland had a more primitive structure of government than France or England. The Scottish royal government’s inability to supervise investigations properly allowed local officials to get carried away on a wave of paranoia and suspicion. This royal weakness also affected the application of torture in Scotland. According to law, torture could only be permitted by the king’s Privy Council of advisors or by the Scottish parliament.

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