The European witch craze between 1563 and 1620 highlighted a variety of problems across society over how these individuals were treated and what the root cause of the increase of the sweeping paranoia of witchcraft and magic. Ultimately, like the beliefs of historians such as Anne Barstow and Marion Gibson, the sweeping paranoia increase was ruled by misogyny both as a direct and underlying cause. Justification for misogyny during trials came in many forms such as religious justification as female witches magic was viewed as the complete opposite to Christianity’s God and his holy power. Legislation against witchcraft didn’t really come into power in England until the 1563 Witchcraft Act created by Queen Elizabeth I and it “formally criminalised …show more content…
The North Berwick trials in the 1590s were kickstarted by David Seaton, which historian Suzannah Lipscomb argues was due to the sexual dominance and ownership he felt over Gilly Duncan. Duncan herself was simply caught leaving late at night and captured and tortured by Seaton, who believed she was a witch. Her torture included wrenching and searching where Duncan was severely violated upon the whims of a man who wanted to demonstrate the power he held on Duncan’s life. Duncan’s confession of being a witch, along with the names of eight other witches, snowballed into 100 – 200 being accused and tried of witchcraft. Throughout these trials, James VI became personally involved in the investigations such as the trial of Agnes Sampson and was so caught up in the idea of witchcraft and evil entering Scotland, he essentially gave convictions and torture the “Stamp of royal approval”. James was the first and only King to write a book about witches called “Daemonologie” which had a long-term influence on witchcraft trials and how they