North Berwick

Question 1

When did the North Berwick hunt(s) take place

Answer 1

1590-1591

Then picks up again from 1591-1597

Question 2

How many people were affected by the North Berwick hunt?

Answer 2

70 people between 1590-1593

Question 3

Which group of people were targeted during the North Berwick hunt?

Answer 3

A large number of women but some men as well

Question 4

How was the Scottish government system different to England?

Answer 4

It was less complex and fewer royal agents to keep an eye on local officials

Question 5

What religious changes did Scotland go through in the sixteenth century?

Answer 5

A reformation- but along stricter Protestant lines, there was a heightening on anti-Catholic feeling

Question 6

How else was Scotland different to England?

Answer 6

• Torture could be used with authority from the government
• A greater number of people were poor
• Only a majority was needed to find someone guilty, not a unanimous decision

Question 7

What role does James take in the witch hunts?

Answer 7

He is actively involved, personally interrogating the witches

Question 8

How did James’ childhood lead to paranoid thoughts?

Answer 8

• His mother was forced to abdicate due to conspiracies and later killed by Elizabeth I.
• His mother was a Catholic but he was taught there was a Catholic antiChrist working in Scotland
• It led to him being fearful of treason and plots to kill him

Question 9

What impact would James have had on the witch hunts?

Answer 9

It couldn’t have led to them starting but could have helped them to become more widespread as James became more involved

Question 10

Why did James have to travel to Denmark?

Answer 10

His wife Anne was from Denmark and he needed to go and collect her as storms had prevented her from travelling

Question 11

How did James’ visit to Denmark influence his beliefs on magic?

Answer 11

Niels Hemmingsen- he had written a book on magic and related subjects in 1575

Witch Trials in Denmark had taken place throughout the C16th

Question 12

How was Anna Koldings connected to the Denmark visits and the North Berwick witch trials?

Answer 12

She was accused of raising a storm to sink Anne’s ship and sending demons onboard to pull it under

She gave the names of 5 other women- who were also accused, including Agnes Sampson

Question 13

Who were Gilly Duncan and David Seaton?

Answer 13

• Gilly Duncan had worked for David Seaton, a local bailiff
• She had taken time off work to heal ill and elderly members of her community - they recovered
• He also accused her of stealing, there were also rumours of them having an affair

Question 14

What is Gilly Duncan accused of?

Answer 14

Having ‘unnatural healing abilities’

Question 15

How was Gilly Duncan treated after she was arrested?

Answer 15

• She was tortured with thumbscrews and cords around her head - failed to confess
• She was searched for a witches mark- this led to her confession

Question 16

Who was Agnes Sampson?

Answer 16

• She was a friend of Gilly Duncan and was personally interrogated by King James
• She was an elderly woman who had a reputation as a midwife, healer and cunning woman

Question 17

What was Agnes Sampson accused of?

Answer 17

Healing the sick, discovering information of a personal nature on behalf of others, sailing across the sea in a sieve, calling on the devil in the form of a dog to assist with healing

Question 18

What happened during Agnes Sampsons trial?

Answer 18

• She was tortured both during questioning (cords tied around her limbs) and while imprisoned (witches bridle and sleep deprivation)
• She admits to being responsible for the storms during James journey from Denmark
• She was able to repeat what James said to Anne on their first night of marriage
• She accused many other witches, including some high ranking members of society

Question 19

Who was John Fian?

Answer 19

• A schoolmaster, who was implicated by Gilly Duncan

- He was suspected because he was able to speak Latin and Greek- illiterate locals didn’t trust him

Question 20

What was John Fian accused of?

Answer 20

Being the secretary at coven meetings, bewitching a man, attempting to bewitch a woman to fall in love with him, robbing graves for body parts to use in charms

Question 21

How was John Fian tortured and why do we know this?

Answer 21

It was recorded in Newes from Scotland

• Nails under the fingers
• Boots
• Head twisted with a rope

Question 22

Who was the Earl of Bothwell?

Answer 22

-First cousin of James- but loses favour when he openly criticises James

-James disliked Bothwell- Bothwell had suggested that
make the journey to Denmark- storms part of a plot to kill James

Question 23

What happens to Bothwell?

Answer 23

Bothwell is arrested but escapes, he pleads with the King who gives him a trial- he is initially acquitted.

James fears him and withdraws his pardon- Bothwell flees to Europe

Question 24

How does Bothwell explain why the trials became widespread?

Answer 24

• Shows that belief in magic was tightly intertwined with politics- increased paranoia of treason for James
• Suggests that there could be ulterior motives for accusations

Question 25

What led to the national hunt in 1597?

Answer 25

• The general commission
• Lack of central control
• James VI and “Daemonologie”

Question 26

What was happening in in Scotland at the time?

Answer 26

• The hunt came at a time of poor harvest, and widespread plague and disease
• Judicial procedures and central control weak

Question 27

What was the general commission?

Answer 27

5 judges were given permission to torture at will, commissions were then given to nobles and magistrates - this made trials and convictions more likely

Question 28

Why was central control weak in Scotland?

Answer 28

James was unwilling to deal with the Catholics and it was difficult for him to maintain control from Edinburgh to the highlands and islands

Question 29

Why was Daemonologie written?

Answer 29

• In response to Reginald Scot’s sceptical work

- Clarify his stance on witchcraft

Question 30

What does James clarify regarding magic and witchcraft?

Answer 30

• The Devil is extremely powerful and a danger
• Witches have a close association with the Devil
• God limited magical powers

Question 31

What does James outline should take place in a hunt?

Answer 31

• Search for Devil’s Marks- very important
• Swimming test an effective identification method
• Women are more like to be witches because they are vulnerable to be led astray

Question 32

What was the impact of Daemonologie?

Answer 32

• It was published several times and distributed across Europe- James was seen as an expert
• It inspired a witch hunting fervour

Question 33

What impact did James have on the witch hunts?

Answer 33

• He politicised them- treason and witchcraft became linked

- Some historians argue that witch hunting responsibility was given to the Church in 1592, limiting James’ influence

Question 34

What involvement did James have in the 1597 trials?

Answer 34

He continued to want to interrogate witches personally, and took an active interest

Question 35

What brought the 1597 trials to an end?

Answer 35

• Some of trials led to false accusations and miscarriages of justices
• Some commissions started to be withdrawn