Victims of fraud burned at the stake in 16th century Scottish withcraft trials

Published on 27/10/2012 01:44

Over 400 people were accused of witchcraft in Scotland, with many found guilty in sham trials before being hanged, decapitated and burned.

After witchcraft became illegal in Scotland in the 16th century, an army of “witch-prickers” were employed to encourage people to confess to being in league with the devil.

The witch-hunters roamed the country putting countless poor souls to the test, which involved pricking them with a sharp metal object.

If the unfortunates did not bleed immediately, it was taken as a sign that they had made a covenant with “Auld Nick” and their deaths often followed.

The Scottish witch hunts declined after the 1660s as the “elite” of Scottish society began to take a more rational view of the world

As a result, the witch-prickers were eventually exposed as complete frauds.