Comments on: 1670: Major Thomas Weir, a Puritan with a double life http://www.executedtoday.com/2008/04/11/1670-major-thomas-weir/ Wed, 08 Oct 2008 06:07:08 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: Rowan Hunter http://www.executedtoday.com/2008/04/11/1670-major-thomas-weir/#comment-1165 Rowan Hunter Fri, 20 Jun 2008 01:30:09 +0000 http://www.executedtoday.com/2008/04/11/1670-major-thomas-weir/#comment-1165 Great article, I find the last two paragraphs particularly interesting. That is the fascinating thing about Weir, that he doesn't appear the hapless victim of a frame-up as do so many "withches" but that he actively believed he was a warlock and acted in spite of a society he evidently disdained. It makes you wonder why he confessed at all. I have to say though, that he did do several things that would most certainly be counted as crimes today, not least of which his long career of bestiality. he not only confessed to this but had been caught at it and had it hushed up on the strength of his reputation and the accuser punished in his stead. So, add perjury to the list as well. There is some case as well for saying that he was a war criminal, but you would be pointing at lot of fingers in covenanting Scotland if you started that! Great article, I find the last two paragraphs particularly interesting. That is the fascinating thing about Weir, that he doesn’t appear the hapless victim of a frame-up as do so many “withches” but that he actively believed he was a warlock and acted in spite of a society he evidently disdained. It makes you wonder why he confessed at all.

I have to say though, that he did do several things that would most certainly be counted as crimes today, not least of which his long career of bestiality. he not only confessed to this but had been caught at it and had it hushed up on the strength of his reputation and the accuser punished in his stead. So, add perjury to the list as well. There is some case as well for saying that he was a war criminal, but you would be pointing at lot of fingers in covenanting Scotland if you started that!

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