James Robertson: the Fanatic
A more recent novel examining Covenanters and witchcraft in the seventeenth century is James Robertson's The Fanatic. Another historical novel, this tells the story of a character in Edinburgh in 1997 who is researching James Mitchel, an extremist Covenanter. In 1668, Mitchel attempted to assassinate the archbishop of St. Andrews. He also was friends with Major Thomas Weir, another committed Covenanter who in later life confessed to sorcery and demonic practices. Weir's case is said to have influenced Robert Louis Stevenson in writing his story of Dr Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. An exploration of extremist mindsets, this book will give you an introduction to the fraught religious politics of the Restoration period (1660-1688), based on Robertson's close reading of contemporary sources. It also reflects on how we should use history today in the 'heritage industry', an important part of the economy in Scotland and Britain.
