Witches- Part Two- King James

(Fear as a motivator)

It’s the late middle ages. Edinburgh, Scotland. During this turbulent time, King James rose to the throne of Scotland. During a famine, a man grew suspicious of the servant girl who was sneaking out of the house at night. He accused her of being a witch and attending Satanic rituals. So he tortured her by breaking her fingers. He found what he believed to be the devil's mark on her neck. After being discovered she confessed. She was handed over to the authorities who tortured her until she gave the names of other witches. One of the people she accused was Agnes Sampson. So she was taken to the castle to be examined by King James himself. She denied the charges and was therefore shaved from head to toe. The examiner found the devil's mark. She was taken away, tied to the wall, a metal prong was forced into her mouth. She was kept awake for days. After, she confessed that she was a witch. She had a demon friend in the form of a black dog. She had been to a Satanic ritual with 90 other women and they all kissed the devil on his behind. After they discussed ways to harm the king and raised a storm when he went to Denmark to collect his 15 year old bride. It's said that initially King James was skeptical about the existence of witches. However, allegedly Agnes Sampson declared to him the very words he'd spoken to his new bride in Norway on their marriage night. He was shocked and from that day on became a fervent and zealous hunter of witches. He saw himself as God's defender on earth. He took a great interest in all arrests for witchcraft in Scotland. 

https://youtu.be/f68EtRQBY7o - 0-5 & 11-27

https://youtu.be/f68EtRQBY7o?si=1GfCJ-qGW7AzHLAf

Are there any other explanations as to why Agnes Sampson would know such secret details?

What do you think motivated King James the most?

What’s good about fear?

Fear is Nature

The bodies response to fear is something ingrained into us for survival. Fear keeps us alive. It alerts us to possible danger. However, it’s SO good at keeping us alive that it can spark fear toward things and people that are harmless. (Chapter 7- thinking fast and slow.) A famous example is of early man, hearing a rustle in the bushes. If he investigates, he could get eaten by a lion. If he assumes it’s a lion and runs away he survives. He doesn’t know what caused the rustling… a squirrel, the wind? He could investigate but those humans who investigated further to find the answer would die more often as a result. Therefore, humans have survived for thousands of years assuming that it was a lion in the bushes. Ambiguity is ignored for the sake of protection and certainty. When it comes to the witch trials, communities feared a conspiracy of evil people making a pact with the devil. Therefore, many assumed witches to be true because questioning it might leave you and your family vulnerable to their attacks. Many people approved of torturing and killing accused witches even at the risk of killing innocent people. It was believed that it was worse to let an actual witch escape than it was to mistakenly burn thousands of innocent people. What do you think?

https://youtu.be/sJrUqDX4XUY
Origin of Superstitions 

https://youtu.be/dSIYuH9dBXE?si=dE7DCj0dAD1H65CA
10 Times when Fear Changed People’s Lives

Influence of King James

When another woman confessed to casting a spell to raise up a storm that killed 60, she was brought before the court. The court didn't believe there to be enough evidence despite her confession. King James was furious and declared them to have deliberately set a known witch free. The court agreed to allow the king to decide. They showed mercy to her by strangling her before burning her body instead of burning her alive. This was someone’s mother, someone’s mother, someone’s grandmother or someone’s wife.

Many would appeal to the King who they believed was the most righteous man walking the earth. However, King James was eager to rid the evil from the land and declared them to be tortured until they confessed. King James of Scotland believed himself to be chosen by God to be King. Therefore, he also believed that he was God's defender on earth. He believed that it was his responsibility to fight the powers of Satan there on earth. When Queen Elizabeth of England died, King James (her nephew) inherited the throne of England. He brought to England with him, his appetite for witch hunting.

Once King of Scotland and England, King James applied himself at medieval scholarship. He worked with scribes and clergy to create a new translation of the Bible. Today it’s one of the most popular translations. King James also applied his scholarship to witch-hunting. In response to his witch-hunts, some people of rank criticized the witch trials. In response, King James wrote a book called Demonologie, a response to those who disbelieved. (Page 1 of Demonologie) It’s quite a vivid and detailed book (25-26 mistakes while conjuring spirits) In the book he gives his expert knowledge of witches, their rituals and how to torture them. Page 91 - Any age except? 

What do you think the consequences were for someone so respected making outlandish claims?

Is anyone above questioning?

Should you trust people because of who they are or by the evidence they provide?

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