Who (1620-1647) claimed to have been given the title Witch Finder General?
Witches' mark in prison, no doubt from injuries." During the witch-trials in early modern Europe, individuals were employed to help aid in the discovery and conviction of witches. These individuals were given the title "witch finders". Perhaps the most famous witch finder was a man named Matthew Hopkins (c. 1620-1647), who claimed to be the "Witch Finder General". Hopkins' writings reached the height of their popularity during the English Civil War (circa 1645), and contributed to the use of the witches' mark as evidence of guilt. The record shows that two Scottish women disguised themselves as men, known as "Mr. Dickson" and
Margaret Aitken (the great witch of Balwearie) looking for a special mark in their eyes. In May 1597, she claimed to know of a convention of 2,300 witches in Atholl. As a result, a special commission was formed with the approval of James VI, and prosecutors took her from town to town to detect witches. During 1597 the only other witch finder used in witchcraft cases was Marion Kwyne who featured in the cases brought against two men and thirteen women in Kirkcaldy; academic Stuart Macdonald speculates this may have been Aitken under an assumed name. In addition to Aitken looking into the eyes of those accused