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Scottish Witches to be pardoned on Halloween

I thought this was very interesting.....I've been reading a book (fictional) that parts of it dealt with the condemnation of witchcraft in scotland during the 1700's

I've also read extensivley on america's version...the Salem Witch trials...I've never been able to understand the hysteria that surrounds anything like this...or the thought processes of the accusors....for example...in their "tests" if you died you were innocent and if you lived you were a witch and put to death.

http://www.cnn.com/2004/LAW/10/29/br....ap/index.html

Quote:

Town to officially pardon executed witches
3,500 women and children killed in witch hunts

Friday, October 29, 2004 Posted: 12:00 PM EDT (1600 GMT)

PRESTONPANS, Scotland (AP) -- Accused witches -- and their cats -- executed during a wave of hysteria and religious ferment centuries ago will be pardoned on Halloween in this Scottish township.

"There'll be no witches' hats, dress-ups or that sort of thing -- it will be a fairly solemn occasion," Adele Conn, spokeswoman for the baronial court that granted the pardons, said by telephone interview Friday.

Sunday's ceremony will publicly declare pardons for 81 local people executed in the 16th and 17th centuries for being witches. The pardons have been granted under ancient feudal powers due to be abolished within weeks.

More than 3,500 Scots, mainly woman and children, and their cats were killed in witch hunts at a time of political intrigue and religious ferment. Many were condemned on flimsy evidence, such as owning a black cat or brewing homemade remedies.

Prestonpans region had recorded one of the largest numbers of witch executions in all of Scotland, said Conn, who is the "mountjoye," or official spokeswoman, for the Barons Courts of Prestoungrange & Dolphinstoun.

She said Gordon Prestoungrange, the 14th baron, granted the pardons for the convictions in the last session of his court, which is due to be abolished on November 28.

"'Most of those persons condemned for witchcraft within the jurisdiction of the Baron Courts of Prestoungrange and Dolphinstoun were convicted on the basis of spectral evidence -- that is to say, prosecuting witnesses declared that they felt the presence of evil sprits or heard spirit voices,"' the court said in its written findings.

"Such spectral evidence is impossible to prove or to disprove; nor is it possible for the accused to cross-examine the spirit concerned. One is convicted upon the very making of such charges without any possibility of offering a defense."

The court declared an absolute pardon to all those convicted, "as well as to the cats concerned."

Conn said 15 local descendants of executed witches had been invited to attend the ceremony and inaugural Witches' Remembrance Day, which will become an annual event in the township each Halloween.

"It's too late to apologize but it's a sort of symbolic recognition that these people were put to death for hysterical ignorance and paranoia," said local historian Roy Pugh, who presented evidence to the court in support of the pardons.

The last execution for witchcraft in Scotland was in 1727. Such cases were outlawed by the Witchcraft Act of 1735, which made it a crime only to pretend to be a witch.

Better late than never I guess?

Wow, thats really interesting...

Shani, out of curiosity, what's the book you're reading? I ask because I am obsessed with historical Scotland (well, and modern Scotland for that matter :p)

I almost want to compare this to pardoning all african americans on death row because they used to be slaves? But then again, I'm probably wrong. I think it's a nice gesture, but a little absurd.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Untitled

Wow, thats really interesting...

Shani, out of curiosity, what's the book you're reading? I ask because I am obsessed with historical Scotland (well, and modern Scotland for that matter :p)

Im obsessed with Scotland too lol Im reading the series of books written by Diana Gabaldon (Im on the 2nd book...the first one was Outlander...the 2nd is Dragonfly in Amber)
this is the description from Amazon of Outlander

Quote:

In Outlander, a 600-page time-travel romance, strong-willed and sensual Claire Randall leads a double life with a husband in one century, and a lover in another. Torn between fidelity and desire, she struggles to understand the pure intent of her heart. But don't let the number of pages and the Scottish dialect scare you. It's one of the fastest reads you'll have in your library.
While on her second honeymoon in the British Isles, Claire touches a boulder that hurls her back in time to the forbidden Castle Leoch with the MacKenzie clan. Not understanding the forces that brought her there, she becomes ensnared in life-threatening situations with a Scots warrior named James Fraser. But it isn't all spies and drudgery that she must endure. For amid her new surroundings and the terrors she faces, she is lured into love and passion like she's never known before.

The two I've read so far have a LOT of historical stuff (kinda like reading John Jakes bi-centennial series)

The 2nd book deals with them trying to stop Bonnie Prince Charlie and the battle of Cullendon

AHA! I figured that's what they were! I ADORE those books. I'm rereading the series for about the 20th time at the moment :D There's 5 out right now, and the 6th should be out soon! I love finding more fans of these books!

/threadjack

I saw it on CNN and thought, "fat lot of good it will do them now". :rolleyes: But I guess it's a nice gesture...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Untitled

I just started Voyager today!!!

so what happens if they find out someone is a witch nowadays?

I believe witches nowadays are viewed with mild disdain by the masses instead of fear and revulsion. We've come a long way baby!

Quote:

Originally Posted by whocarz

I believe witches nowadays are viewed with mild disdain by the masses instead of fear and revulsion. We've come a long way baby!

you say we.. do you practice WICCA?

No, I mean society in general, and I was being a tad sarcastic. Personally, I'm atheist.

From what I see....looks like a hell of a lot of them move to northern California and sell hand made silver jewelry at all the Bay Area Renaissance Faires. Some try to be Administrative Assistants part time for small family owned companies in Sonoma and Napa. Most can't chew gum and type at the same time....Ha!

Whatever. She walks away....

No, they're all over, giving Tarot readings, etc. I'm not a Wiccan and don't understand their belief in "magick", but I do revere the Goddess so I'm grateful for the silver jewelry. ;)

If anyone here is curious to really understand how witch beliefs evolved and the (VERY complex) series of events that cumulated in the great witch panic, then I refer you to two books:

Norman Cohn, "Europe's Inner Demons" (Revised edition, 2001)

Brian Levack, "The Witch Hunt in Early Modern Europe" 2001, second edition

They aren't freakishly long and don't require you to be a historian to understand their arguments. But they are probably the best authorities on the phenomenon I have seen.

/historian