 He became interested in witchcraft and published a defence of witch-hunting in the "Daemonologie" in 1597, but he appears to have become increasingly sceptical and eventually took steps to limit prosecutions.An estimated 4,000 to 6,000 people, mostly from the Scottish Lowlands, were tried for witchcraft in this period; a much higher rate than for neighbouring England.There were major series of trials in 1590–91, 1597, 1628–31, 1649–50 and 1661–62.