A king who helped write the script for Salem. In this Time & Tales dark history episode, we go back to 1590s Scotland, where James VI—later James I of England—personally questioned accused “witch” Agnes Sampson, convinced that storms against his marriage voyage were assassination attempts raised by the Devil. From the North Berwick witch trials to his demonological handbook Daemonologie and the 1604 Witchcraft Act, we trace how one monarch’s fear turned into statute, culture, and a theological blueprint that framed witch-hunting as godly duty.

*This episode may supply a few controversial opinions-- to clarify, James' historically agreed-upon sexuality is not a crime. His treatment of individuals of similar sexuality, however, we find to be egregiously unjust. Additionally, we are not aiming to offend an ...