Witch trials in early modern ScotlandIn early modern Scotland, in between the early 16th century and the mid-18th century, judicial proceedings concerned with the crimes of witchcraft (Scottish Gaelic: buidseachd) took place as part of a series of witch trials in Early Modern Europe. In the Late Middle Ages, there were a handful of prosecutions for harm done through witchcraft, but the passing of the Witchcraft Act 1563 made witchcraft, or consulting with witches, capital crimes.
Old EnglishOld English (Englisc or Ænglisc, pronounced or ), or Anglo-Saxon, is the earliest attested form of the English language, spoken in England and southern and eastern Scotland in the Early Middle Ages. It developed from the languages brought to Great Britain by Anglo-Saxon settlers in the mid-5th century, and the first Old English literature dates from the mid-7th century.
Witch (word)The English word witch, from the Old English wiċċe, is a term rooted in European folklore and superstition for a practitioner of witchcraft, magic or sorcery. Traditionally associated with malevolent magic, with those accused of witchcraft being the target of witch-hunts, in the modern era the term has taken on different meanings. In literature, a 'witch' can now simply refer to an alluring woman capable of 'bewitching' others.
Old NorseNorth Germanic languageOld Norse was a North Germanic language spoken in Scandinavia and in Norse settlements during the Viking Age and the early Middle Ages (approximately the 8th–14th centuries).
DevilThe devil is a mythical personification of evil as conceived in various cultures and religious traditions. It is seen as the objectification of a hostile and destructive force. Jeffrey Burton Russell states that the different conceptions of the Devil can be summed up as 1. a principle of evil independent from God, 2. an aspect of God, 3. a created being turning evil (a fallen angel) or 4. a symbol of human evil.
Oxford English DictionaryHistorical dictionary of the English languageThe Oxford English Dictionary (OED) is the principal historical dictionary of the English language, published by Oxford University Press (OUP), a University of Oxford publishing house.WitchcraftWitchcraft is the use of magic by a person called a witch. Traditionally, "witchcraft" means the use of magic to inflict supernatural harm or misfortune on others, and this remains the most common and widespread meaning. Though the idea of witchcraft is largely imaginary, it has nevertheless served in many cultures as a way to explain the presence of evil. The belief in witches has been found throughout history in a great number of societies worldwide.
Scots languageWest Germanic languageScots is a language variety of West Germanic origin. It is an Anglic language and descended from Early Middle English; therefore, Modern Scots is a sister language of Modern English. Scots is classified as an official language of Scotland, a regional or minority language of Europe, and a vulnerable language by UNESCO.
RomanticismRomanticism (also known as the Romantic movement or Romantic era) was an artistic and intellectual movement that originated in Europe towards the end of the 18th century. The purpose of the movement was to advocate for the importance of subjectivity, imagination, and appreciation of nature in society and culture in response to the Age of Enlightenment and the Industrial Revolution.Warlock (other)The term warlock comes from the Old English wǣrloga, which meant oath-breaker or traitor. It was used in early Christian England for someone who had betrayed their faith or community, and later became associated with men believed to have made pacts with the devil.
John NapierJohn Napier of Merchiston ( ; Latinized as Ioannes Neper; 1 February 1550 – 4 April 1617), nicknamed Marvellous Merchiston, was a Scottish landowner known as a mathematician, physicist and astronomer. He was the 8th Laird of Merchiston. Napier is best known as the discoverer of logarithms. He also invented the Napier's bones calculating device and popularised the use of the decimal point in arithmetic.
BairnBairn is a Northern English, Scottish English and Scots term for a child. It originated in Old English as bearn, becoming restricted to Scotland and the North of England, c. 1700. In Hull, the r is dropped and the word bain is used. The word was included in The English Dialect Dictionary with variant spellings barn, bayn, and bayne, that reflect varying pronunciations.
warlockRelated word or term.wærlogaRelated word or term.*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.