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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 2002 (DOST Vol. XII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Wi(t)ch(e)craft, We(s)ch-crafte, n. Also: vytch-, vich-, uiche-, wych(e)-, wisch(e)-, visch-, wicht-, withe-, wice-, wetche- and -craftt, -craift, -croft, wischraf, vischcart. [ME and e.m.E. wicche crafftess pl. (Orm), wicchecrafte (a1250), wichecrafte (Cursor M.), wychcrafte (a1500), witchcraft (1599), OE wiccecræft.] Witchcraft, the practice(s) of a witch, supernatural events as instigated by a witch or the like. Once, applied to the word itself with regard to its etymology. Also transf., applied by pagans to Christian practices or miraculous events. Only in Leg. S. b. An object used to effect a spell or charm.(1) c1420 Wynt. i 856.
In Pers wes fyrst nygromancy, And wyche-craft wytht sorcery Throuch Cam fwndyn c1420 Wynt. ii 997.
Hys relygyowne cruelere Than ony wychcraft [W. wichecraft] mycht be a1500 Henr. Orph. 588.
Fra wichcraft, spaying, and sorsery, And superstitioun of astrolegy 1509 Justiciary Rec. II 144.
Gif thair be ony wichcraift or sossary wsyt in the realme c1520-c1535 Nisbet Prol. Rom. 328/16.
Wychcrafte 1533 Gau 87/9.
Thy halie nayme is … abusit to sine and ewil and vichcraft 1561 Q. Kennedy Compendious Ressonyng (ed.) 153/28.
Certifie me quhat ȝour monstruous mes menis: For we rekkin it to be plane idolatrie, sorcerie and wichecraft 1563 Crim. Trials I i 432.
Agnes Mullikine … wes banist … for wichecraft 1591 Crim. Trials I ii 252.
For allwring be your develische wichcraft, inchantment and incantatioun, of Joseph Dowglas … to love yow 1598 James VI Basil. Doron 64/8.
Horribill crymes … sicc as uichecrafte, uillfull murther [etc.](b) a1400 Leg. S. xxx 19.
He [sc. Satan] will oft purches wikit men To gere hyme sped & with wemen Thru wischraf & sorcery a1400 Leg. S. xliv 275.
Wischcrafte 1588 St. A. Kirk S. 620.
Wischecraft 1603 Inverness Rec. II 19.
With thai inchantment and deuilliche vischcraft thou charmit the said Robert Steuart 1603 Inverness Rec. II 22.
For his … vsinge of charmes and vischcart foirsaid, to be tain to the Haouche Heid, and thair to be brunt for his evill factis(c) 1572–3 Reg. Privy C. II 198.
Ane remissioun … salbe grantit … the murthour of the King our soverane lordis fader, and all utheris murthouris, fiyre rasing, thift, resset of thift, incest and wicecraft allenarlie exceptit(d) 1560 Inv. Q. Mary xciii n.
[Accusing the Queen of] assenting thairto, throw the perswasioun of the Erle Bothwell and the witchecraft of the Lady Buckcleugh 1579 Misc. Bann. C. II 196.
Thomas Bassinden, prentar … tua the bukes of witchecraft, the pece iiii s. 1596–7 Misc. Spald. C. I 85.
Knawing that thow hed cassin this kynd of witchecraft on him 1596–7 Misc. Spald. C. I 87.
Be thi witchecraft, the said John Club is becum altogidder depauperit 1597 Misc. Spald. C. I 142.
Vytchcraft 1622 Crim. Trials III 513, 514.
Witchcraft can nocht be accomplischet as witchcraft, bot be … incalling and invocatioun of the name of Sathan 1629 Justiciary Cases I 136.
Witchcraft may be bothe uithout anger and uithout thraitningis to the pairtie sufferer, becaus it is nottour that mony ane hes witchet thair awin childrene of intentioun to bewitch utheris 1643 Acts Gen. Assembly 28 (2 Aug.).
Charming is a sort and degree of witch-craft 1671 Goudie Shetl. Antiq. 235.
Witchcraftt 1692 Kirkcudbr. Sheriff Ct. Processes 19 April.
We … in the perish off Kirkgwnȝean being reqwired … to testifie for or against the said Janet in the heagh crime off witchcroft … we all … cownts owr selwes bwnd in conscience to witnes that ther was nawer amongst ws report her off witchcraft(e) a1400 Leg. S. xii 28.
Be thi tale I cane wele trev, That wech-crafte merrys thé now a1400 Leg. S. xxi 705.
He … wend [that] he begabbit had bene Be wesch-crafte 1587 Crawford Mun. Invent. II 169 (1 Feb.).
[They have] vsit … wetchecraft … and vthirwayis abusit our liegis in thai pairtis to the hurt of the glorie of God and contempt of our lawis(f) 1593 Warrender P. (SHS) II 203.
I am maid odious baith at hame and afeild for seiking to distroy my soverane by wichtcraft(g) 1597 Misc. Spald. C. I 140.
Thow art indyttit for the passing to Jonet Grant, quho was brint for withecraft, and receauit syndrie iniunctiounes off witchecraft fro the said Jonet(2) sing. 1604 Elgin Rec. II 125.
Scho is iwill bruited of a witchcraftpl. c1450 Cr. Deyng (STS) 252.
He sal forsak al heresys ande wichcraftis, forbyding be haly kyrk 1563 Acts II 539/1.
It is … ordanit … that na maner of persoun … tak vpone hand in ony tymes heirefter to vse ony maner of witchcraftis sorsarie or necromancie 1597 Misc. Spald. C. I 153.
Thow art indyttit as a notorious vitche, compartiner, airt and pairtacker with Margrat Og thy mother, in all hir witchcraftis, inchantmentis, and devilische practizes(3) 1597 James VI Dæmonol. (STS) 22/4.
This word of sorcerie is a Latine worde … As to the word of witchcraft, it is nothing but a proper name giuen in our language(4) transf. a1400 Leg. S. xix 412.
Thu wycht of Canane, Sacrifice mak oure God, & lif, & thi wechcraft thu a leife a1400 Leg. S. xxxiii 724.
Quhat wischcraft is this … Quhare-thru thu [sc. St. George] dois sic ferly thing Of ws & ouris in hurtynge? a1400 Leg. S. xl 1029.
Thane ves he … hangit … Bot the bischope … Helpyt hyme [etc.] … Bot that day … A seruand one hyme hand lad son, & sad, with wichcraft he deltb. 1572 Inverness Rec. I 216.
The said Christan left in hir house … wichecraft trocht the quhilkis scho can gett na saill to hir aill 1590 Digest Justiciary Proc. M 19.
Sche saw William M^cGillie … delyver … ane buist of witchcraft within the stank of Fowllis quhilk thow ressavit fra him and put it in thay awin poutche 1597 Crim. Trials II 25.
That scho laid in this graith … in a hoill vnder the stair, and … maid Gothray and his wyffe to beleif it was witchecraft layd in be ane vther 1662 Highland P. III 8 (see Wi(t)ch v. a).