History of Scottish Witches

A History of Scottish Witches: The Devil's Handmaidens explores the phenomenon of witchpersecution in Scotland between 1563 and 1736. Looking at the influence of the likes of JohnKnox and James VI of Scotland, this book examines the magic and fairy beliefs that underlaywitchcraft and how this became twisted by the Scottish Kirk's obsession with the Devil. Using examples from actual trial records and so-called witch confessions, this book exploreshow societal norms surrounding women caused so many to face the rope and the flames andhow those norms were exacerbated by the chaos of the reformation and the wars of the ThreeKingdoms. How did the magical beliefs of ordinary people become twisted into Devilworship? And why did so many come to believe this? How did the Scottish church and the courts fall into a frenzy of belief that the Devil was around every corner, causing terror across Lowland Scotland, and how did they extract themselves from that frenzy? Finally, thebook looks at how this period of persecution affected the ordinary people of Scotland and whatlessons it might hold for today.