King James Vl of Scotland, James l of England, personally supervised the torture of women accused of being witches. The Scottish Witchcraft Act of 1563 accompanied the high point of the Witch Trials between 1560-1630. The publishing of the Witches Hammer, Malleus Maleficarum, a book on demonology written by German Catholic clergyman Heinrich Kramer in 1487 was a literal death sentence for thousands of people, 80% being women. 

The Gutenberg printing press allowed for the rapid dissemination of his ideas and ultimately led to King James l writing DAEMONOLOGIE in 1597. The alliance between humans and the Devil took on a radical new form described as ‘diabolical witchcraft’. For centuries European Christians were taught that supernatural entities did not exist, until they very much did. 

Women being accused of having sex with demons and the devil, incubi, succubi, the Witches Sabbath, and a whole host of other ideas entered mainstream thinking. One can only but wonder if the reintroduction of magic and the supernatural found in the Grail legends contributed to this change in perspective. 

Merlin being born from a demon and virgin nun, Morgan le Fay, Melusine, the Lady of the Lake, Avalon, magic spells and potions, shapeshifting, flight, all concepts that were mostly absent at the time. Heretics and Muslims were the big issue, not witchcraft. Relics and the Intercession of the Saints, miracles, pilgrimage, these were the things that occupied peoples minds, not witches and magic. 

The Arthurian time period of the 5/6th centuries matches the Dark Ages when Druids and Celtic Priestesses still occupied parts of Britain. This mythology was superimposed onto the High Middle Ages of the 12/13th centuries, 700 years after these events are said to have taken place. People couldn’t really tell the difference and started to re-engage with the supernatural through the stories of Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. 

Neighbors were the most common accusers, women made as many accusations against fellow women as men did. It was literally a free for all that more often than not led to innocent people being burnt at the stake. But before being burnt, they would have to endure the most extreme forms of torture imaginable. 

The King James Bible was commissioned by King James, the Witch Torturer. He was also a firm believer in the Divine Rights of Kings, an idea that found its fullest expression in France under King Louis the Sun King.

John de Critz 1605. James Vl and l.