“The Forme that he vsed in counterfeiting God”: James VI’s Daemonologie and the Theorisation of the Continental Witches’ Sabbath

James’s Daemonologie (1597) reflects his personal and political anxieties, emerging in the wake of the North Berwick witch trials, in which he was directly involved. By reshaping continental demonological concepts – especially the diabolical pact and witches’ sabbath – he adapted European stereotypes to a Scottish context. In Daemonologie, witchcraft is framed as religious apostasy and moral subversion, with the sabbath depicted as a blasphemous parody of Christian liturgy. However, his version omits sensational elements like infanticide and cannibalism, focusing on theological concerns. This essay argues that James’s construction of witchcraft was not merely theoretical but a strategic response to contemporary religious and political challenges, bolstering his image as a divinely appointed ruler.