King James I: The Royal Witch-Hunter

King James VI of Scotland became King James I of England on 25 July 1603. The unification of Scotland and England created a space, which fostered James’ obsession with witchcraft. His personal experiences, in combination with his political position as king, created an extremely dangerous time for those cast into the outskirts of society. The Protestant king exhibited an increasing paranoia over witchcraft, evident with the North Berwick witch trials of 1590. He channelled this paranoia into the publication of Daemonologie (1597) and the amendments to the Witchcraft Act in 1604.

Shortly after the commemoration of King James I, the Witchcraft Act of 1604 was established and prohibited the use of “skin, bone or any other part of any dead person”, conversing with familial spirits, and harming another individual or cattle using witchcraft. By extricating the line between black and white magic, those known to the community as healers were particularly vulnerable. The act outlined how those found guilty of witchcraft: 

“Shall suffer paines of death as a Felon or Felons, and shall lose the priviledge and benefit of Clergy and Sanctuary.”

The majesties desire to prosecute witches was exacerbated by his time spent in Denmark in 1589. He surrounded himself with intellectual debates on topics such as witchcraft and sorcery. The purpose for this visit to Copenhagen was for James to arrange his marriage to Anne of Denmark. Upon their union, her journey to Scotland was far from straight forward. Lord Dingwell announced how a storm across the North Sea, had led him to believe that “the Queen was in danger upon the seas”. This incident sparked questions surrounding weather magic and resulted in an investigation concerning the North Berwick witch trials.

These trials were detailed in Newes from Scotland (1591) and involved the accusation and execution of several witches. It is estimated that there were between 70 and 200 individuals implicated in these trials. Agnes Sampson and John Cunninghame were both accused and faced extensive torture to ensure a confession was gained. Sampson faced the witch’s bridle, whereas Cunninghame suffered through fingernail extraction and the pilliwinks. Although physical torture played a significant role in the prosecution of the North Berwick witches, it was restricted to psychological torture in seventeenth-century England. 

Following the North Berwick witch trials, James produced a three-volume text in 1597 – Daemonologie. This text explicitly outlined James’ attitudes towards witches and worked to instil a negative connotation of the witch. It detailed methods of identification and prosecution – later working alongside the Witchcraft Act – to inform the wider public of a witch’s familiar, mark and ability to exercise maleficia. A witch’s mark was said to be a physical manifestation of a diabolical pact, and it could be found in the shape of a freckle, birthmark, mole, or any other skin ‘abnormality’. 

With this, James’ manual gave rise to the financially driven ‘Witchfinder General’, Matthew Hopkins. Hopkins was the main driving force behind the East Anglia witch-hunts (1645-47) and is estimated to have been responsible for over 90% of witchcraft executions in England. He used various methods of psychological torture such as sleep deprivation to gain a confession. When identifying a witch’s mark, the accused would be stripped of their clothing and their exposed body examined. It is interesting to consider whether Hopkins would have become the infamous Witchfinder General he was, without the influence of King James I and his publication.

Daemonologie not only worked to shape societal attitudes towards witchcraft, but also created a shift in the judicial system and encouraged the use of child testimonials in court: 

‘in a mater of treason against the Prince, Barnes or Wives, or never so defamed persons, may of our law serve for sufficient witnesses and proofes…such witnesses may be sufficient in matters of high treason against God.”

This shift was extremely significant as it enabled nine-year-old Jennet Device to take the stand during the Lancashire witch trials in 1612. Her words implicated her family in the events that took place at Malkin Tower and the conspiracies discussed. By acknowledging her testimony, 10 of the accused were sentenced to hang. The use of child testimony was mirrored in Salem, Massachusetts with Dorothy Good and Elizabeth Hubbard. 

James’ position enabled him to manipulate legislation, infiltrate the mentalities of the population and shape the approach to witchcraft in seventeenth-century England. His ideas not only encompassed Scotland and England during his reign but surpassed his death on 27 March 1625, finding a place on another continent. The use of contemporary print made this prolonged hysteria possible and fostered the Royal Witch-Hunter’s attitudes in the years that followed.  

This article has been featured in The Historians Magazine Edition 3. Click here to order your issue on Key Events that Shaped History.