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on
Halloween attended by over 200, including the Devil himself. As modern historians Lawrence Normand and Gareth Roberts explain, "The accused women, like most Scots of the time, would have been well aware of James's marriage and the politics of the court. Indeed, if we are to believe the pre-trial
189:
on her. Duncan was stripped naked, shaved and subjected to an invasive full body examination. Eventually, he found the "enemy's mark" in the fore part of her throat. Having endured sleep deprivation, isolation and a cruel and sustained torture, Duncan confessed to the charges against her. She was
229:
Duncan tried to retract her confession and implications of others, numbering as many as sixty or seventy all over
Scotland, stating the confession had been obtained under the duress of Seton's extreme torture. The King took a personal interest in the North Berwick Witch Trials, initiating a dark
157:
This
Geillis Duncan took in hand to help all such as were troubled or grieved with any kind of sickness or infirmity, and in short space did perform many matters most miraculous... made her master and others to be in great admiration, and wondered there
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from
September to November 2023. The artist had made her dress with detachable sleeves as she was a maidservant and as with the others in the exhibition, it was white linen imprinted with the words that condemned her.
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Seton was watchful for potential witches meeting in East
Lothian who might attack him. Through Duncan's confession he came to believe that there may be a plot to cause a storm to stop
173:
This wrongful accusation resulted in Duncan's arrest in 1589. Seton took it upon himself to investigate and, with the help of others, illegally tortured her. This involved the use of
221:, at the Auld Kirk of North Berwick playing a "small trump" or Jew's Harp. James VI is said to have interviewed her in person and listened to her playing the mouth harp and singing.
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had said 'Now the king is going to f his wife but I shall be there before them'. Whatever this cryptic statement meant, it shows the king's doings were the subject of common talk".
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on her fingers to gradually crush them and binding a rope and around her head and gradually crushing it by wrenching. Despite this torment, Duncan would not confess to anything.
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102:(b. unknown d. 4 December 1591) was a young maidservant in 16th century Scotland who was accused of being a witch. She was also the first recorded British named player of the
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As a result of his growing suspicions, Duncan was then accused by her employer of witchcraft after he noticed just how adept she was at curing the ill.
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chapter of
Scottish history; five large-scale witch hunts took place between 1590 and 1662 . Duncan was executed 4 December 1591 at
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This article is about the 16th century
Scottish maid accused of being a witch. For the character in the Outlander TV series, see
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Agnes
Sampson, another of the accused witches, in one of her confessions, described Geillis Duncan as leading a dance
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forced to name other "witches" before being moved to spend a year in the Old
Tolbooth prison.
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published in late 1591 details how she was made to confess to witchcraft and records how the
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355:"The tragic tale of 16th century Tranent maid Geillis Duncan who inspired Outlander witch"
8:
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Witchcraft in Early Modern
Scotland: James' VI's Demonology and the North Berwick Witches
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697:"Witches in Word, not Deed – an exhibition at Central Library until 30 November 2023"
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Gillies Duncan display in exhibition Witches in Word, Not Deed by Carolyn Sutton
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Scotland : her story : the nation's history by the women who lived it
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encounters "a flame-haired herbalist" called Geillis Duncan (played by
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546:"The Countess of Angus's Escape from the North Berwick Witch-Hunt".
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393:"Outlandish fact or devilish fiction? – The real Geillis Duncan"
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originated, in which as many as seventy people were implicated.
143:, Scotland who worked for a deputy bailiff named David Seton.
150:" and wondered where she went on these late night excursions.
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examinations, Geillis Duncan deponed in January 1591 that
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Duncan is also the heroine of Scottish novelist and poet
636:
William Chambers & Robert Chambers, 'Superstition',
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Witches in Word, Not Deed at Edinburgh Central Library
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In 2023 there was an exhibition of thirteen figures,
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In 1589, Geillis Duncan was a young maidservant from
465:. Rosemary Goring. Edinburgh. 2018. pp. 50–51.
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Social Life in Scotland: From Early to Recent Times
552:. Julian Goodare. New York. 2013. pp. 34–47.
602:Normand, Lawrence; Roberts, Gareth (2000-01-01).
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760:
286:. Duncan was one of the figures exhibited at
260:) who is wrongfully accused of witchcraft.
146:Seton grew suspicious that she would leave
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580:: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (
493:: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (
1654:Museum of Witchcraft and Magic, Cornwall
614:10.5949/liverpool/9780859896801.001.0001
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1694:Scottish people executed for witchcraft
1671:
719:
416:
1281:Gormshuil Mhòr na Maighe (aka Gormla)
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695:edinburghcitylibraries (2023-09-20).
185:Seton then set about to look for the
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148:"her master's house every other night
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838:Dummy, the Witch of Sible Hedingham
656:, vol. 3 (Edinburgh, 1886), p. 291.
640:, vol. 1 (Edinburgh, 1842), p. 759.
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549:Scottish Witches and Witch-Hunters
306:Anne of Denmark and contrary winds
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520:"Brooklyn Museum: Geillis Duncan"
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968:Samuel Liddell MacGregor Mathers
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197:'s voyage to Scotland to marry
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608:. Liverpool University Press.
417:Wright, Michael (2017-07-05).
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1:
1083:Northamptonshire witch trials
887:Hermetic Brotherhood of Luxor
459:"The North Berwick Witches".
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331:Survey of Scottish Witchcraft
278:, created by Carolyn Sutton,
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1592:Last person imprisoned under
1113:Bury St Edmunds witch trials
724:. 4: Edinburgh City Council.
242:Art work and popular culture
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1679:16th-century Scottish women
802:Anglo-Saxon metrical charms
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288:Edinburgh's Central Library
276:Witches in Words, not Deeds
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1361:George and Lachlan Rattray
1231:Janet Douglas, Lady Glamis
1053:North Berwick witch trials
907:Society of the Inner Light
638:Information for the People
326:North Berwick witch trials
246:In the television series,
163:Newes from Scotland, 1591.
117:North Berwick witch trials
88:North Berwick Witch Trials
21:Geillis Duncan (character)
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16:16th century Scottish maid
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720:Sutton, Carolyn (2023).
252:, the main character of
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108:The anonymous pamphlet,
1689:Executed Scottish women
1163:Islandmagee witch trial
812:Cunning folk in Britain
1117:1645, 1662, 1655, 1694
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584:) CS1 maint: others (
497:) CS1 maint: others (
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59:Castlehill, Edinburgh
1133:Bideford witch trial
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807:Anglo-Saxon paganism
215:Cummer, go ye before
1596:Witchcraft Act 1735
1468:Neopagan witchcraft
1261:Issobell Fergussone
111:Newes from Scotland
1449:Christian Caldwell
1326:Euphame MacCalzean
1226:Katherine Campbell
1153:Pittenweem witches
1103:Witches of Belvoir
1093:Samlesbury witches
1043:Witches of Warboys
983:Austin Osman Spare
973:Madeline Montalban
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169:Arrest and torture
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1421:Major Thomas Weir
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701:Tales of One City
671:, by Jenni Fagan"
623:978-0-85989-680-1
559:978-1-137-35593-5
472:978-1-78027-531-4
430:978-1-351-54330-9
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1492:Gardnerian Wicca
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1381:Bessie Stevenson
1296:Gwen ferch Ellis
1241:Margaret Duchill
1206:Margaret Barclay
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1211:Magdalene Blair
1196:Allison Balfour
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1143:Paisley witches
1033:Windsor Witches
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1271:Agnes Finnie
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1301:Janet Horne
1186:Lilias Adie
1012:In Scotland
988:A. E. Waite
265:Jenni Fagan
219:Gyllatripes
104:mouth harp.
1673:Categories
1585:witchcraft
1555:Sybil Leek
1336:Violet Mar
1311:Mary Hicks
1004:witchcraft
978:Alan Moore
963:James Lees
788:Folk magic
782:in Britain
780:witchcraft
706:2023-11-24
681:2022-08-26
529:2022-08-26
481:1063693807
403:2022-08-26
365:2022-08-26
337:References
232:Castlehill
176:pilliwinks
123:Background
67:Occupation
1626:Monuments
1617:Monuments
1416:Jane Weir
1386:Anna Tait
1276:Maud Galt
1266:John Fian
1067:1596–1597
1047:1589–1593
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921:Magicians
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568:848162904
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321:John Fian
267:'s book,
249:Outlander
236:Edinburgh
1506:Neopagan
1476:Variants
1017:In Wales
943:John Dee
822:Nicnevin
795:Variants
295:See also
161:—
45:Scotland
1647:Museums
1515:Artemis
1508:witches
1236:Meg Dow
1179:witches
1177:Accused
137:Tranent
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1583:Modern
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776:Magic
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477:OCLC
467:ISBN
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280:MLIS
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