Questions Answered
How might women have sat on the ground in the dresses/skirts of the era?
Women depicted sitting were almost always sitting in chairs, but I was able to find a couple pictures created in Scotland in the 18th century that showed women sitting on the ground.
What was the general consensus of Scottish people about James Francis Edward Stewart after the Jacobite Uprising?
No one in Scotland or France was particularly fond of James Francis Edward Stuart after the Jacobite Uprising. During the uprising, rebels attempted to put him on the throne in Scotland. However, once he was on the throne he fell ill and, when he learned of opposing forces heading his way, he fled to France. His allies in Scotland felt abandoned and betrayed while the French government thought him to be an embarrassment.
What/when was the Old War?
I believe that the Old War refers to the Jacobite Rising of 1715. This war took place between 1715 and 1716 and involved the British government forces as well as Scottish and English Jacobite rebels. This war was the attempt by James Francis Edward Stuart to regain the thrones of England, Ireland, and Scotland for the exiled House of Stuart. The British government forces emerged victorious against the Scottish and English rebels.
What is the relationship between church and state in Scotland at this time?
The church and the state were closely tied in Scotland. In fact, the Church of Scotland only ceased to be an official branch of the state in 1921. Therefore, many of the laws around 1727 were religiously motivated and there was not a widespread call for the separation of church and state.
What was happening in Italy at this time?
Italy was going through a similar period of Enlightenment as Scotland, so the progressiveness of specific places in Italy were varied.
However, Niall also specified that Janet had been a ladies' maid in Italy. Ladies' maids were employed by upper or middle class families and did chores such as cooking and cleaning for them. There were often male servants in larger households and, in those cases, it was a very sexist environment where men were treated (and paid) much better than women. Another looming problem many ladies' maids encountered was unwanted attention and harassment from the men in the house.
Was there legislation in the works at the time to end legal witch burnings?
Yes! There's a lot of information about this in the Historical Context section under the The Enlightenment tab. Basically, yes, there had been legislation and bureaucratic hoops popping up for years that made accusations more complicated. Additionally, people were aware that the Enlightenment was reaching cities like Edinburgh even if it wasn't impacting their daily life yet.
