ow. Barrington estimates that in the
two hundred years during which the greatest severity against supposed
witches prevailed in England, thirty thousand judicial murders were
committed, under the guise of legal punishments for such imaginary
crimes.

A year later (1563) it was considered advisable by Queen Mary of
Scotland and her Parliament to pass an Act, having for its object the
punishment of persons guilty of any of the crimes under consideration.
The Act sets forth:--

"For-sa-meikle as the Queenis Majestie and the three
Estaites of this present parliament being informed of
the heavie and abominable superstition used be divers
of the lieges of this realm, be using of witchcraft,
sorcerie, and necromancie, and credence given thereto
in times by-gane, against the laws of God: And for
avoyding and away putting of all sik vaine
superstition in times to cum: It is statute and
ordained by the Queen's Majestie, and the three
Estaites foresaid, that na maner of person nor persons
of quhat-sum-ever estaite, degree, or condition they
be of, take upon hand in onie times hereafter to use
onie maner of witch-craftes, sorcerie, or necromancie,
nor give themselves furth to have onie sik craft or
knawledge thereof, their-throw abusand the people: Nor
that na persoun seik onie helpe, response, or
consultation at onie sik users or abusers foresaidis
of witch-craftes, sorceries, or necromancie, under the
paine of death, alsweill to be execute against the
user, abuser, as the seiker of the response or
consultation. And this to be put to execution be the
justice, schireffis, stewards, baillies, lords of
regalities, and royalties, their deputes, and uthers
or ordinar judges competent within this realme, with
all rigour, having power to execute the samin."

James VI. of Scotland and I. of England decreed that any one who
should use, practise, or exercise any invocation, or consult or
covenant with, entertain or employ, feed, or reward any evil or wicked
spirit, to or for any purpose, or take up any dead body, should, on
being convicted thereof, suffer death.

The laws against witchcraft remained in force, and were executed with
severity, for a long time. During the continuance of the Long
Parliament alone, three thousand unhappy persons were sacrificed
because of their supposed co