Witchcraft and Folk Belief in the Age of Enlightenment: Scotland, 1670-1740 (Palgrave Historical Studies in Witchcraft and Magic)

Taking an interdisciplinary perspective, Witchcraft and Folk Belief in the Age of Enlightenment represents the first in-depth investigation of Scottish witchcraft and witch belief post-1662, the period of supposed decline of such beliefs, an age which has been referred to as the 'long eighteenth century', coinciding with the Scottish Enlightenment. The late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries were undoubtedly a period of transition and redefinition of what constituted the supernatural, at the interface between folk belief and the philosophies of the learned. For the latter the eradication of such beliefs equated with progress and civilization but for others, such as the devout, witch belief was a matter of faith, such that fear and dread of witches and their craft lasted well beyond the era of the major witch-hunts. This study seeks to illuminate the distinctiveness of the Scottish experience, to assess the impact of enlightenment thought upon witch belief, and to understand how these beliefs operated across all levels of Scottish society. Cover Contents List of Illustrations, Figures and Tables Preface Acknowledgements List of Abbreviations Introduction: Following the Witch 1 Fixing the Limits of Belief 2 The Idea of Witchcraft 3 Demons, Devilry and Domestic Magic: Hunting Witches in Scotland 4 Darkness Visible 5 Bemused, Bothered and Bewildered: Witchcraft Debated 6 “Worshipping at the Altar of Ignorance”: Some Late Scottish Witchcraft Cases Considered 7 The Survival of Witch Belief in South West Scotland: A Case Study 8 The Persistence of Witch Belief Conclusion Appendix I: The Scottish Witchcraft Act, 4 June 1563 Appendix II: The Witchcraft Act, 1735 Bibliography Index This book represents the first investigation of Scottish witchcraft post-1662, the period of supposed decline of such beliefs and coinciding with the dawn of the Scottish Enlightenment. It explores the changing attitudes and diversity of opinions towards witch belief, the interface between folk conceptions and the philosophies of the learned.