Thomas Aikenhead Quotes
It is a principle innate and co-natural to every man to have an insatiable inclination to the truth, and to seek for it as for hidden treasure
He was officially hanged for his offence of blasphemy. See {619712}. His execution, which raised considerable concern, was the last execution for blasphemy in Britain.
Thomas Aikenhead, c.1676-1697, Scottish University Student, Letter written just before he was hanged, January 8, 1697
Sourced by: Eigen's Political and Historical Quotations
He was officially hanged for his offence of making this statement on January 8, 1697. His execution, which raised considerable concern, was the last execution for blasphemy in Britain.
Thomas Aikenhead was a Scottish student from Edinburgh, who was prosecuted and executed at the age of 20 on a charge of blasphemy under the Act against Blasphemy 1661 and Act against Blasphemy 1695. He was the last person in Great Britain to be executed for blasphemy. His execution occurred 85 years after the death of Edward Wightman (1612), the last person to be burned at the stake for heresy in England.
