Is a male Witch a Warlock?

Note: This is an image of a "puritan"; for some reason when I think of Warlocks I think of a dude in Pilgrim garb. Hmm...the buckled hat is kinda funky. I think I'll have to get one, one of these days. ;^)


I have felt for some time that the term Warlock to refer to a male Witch may have some value. For years I have taken the position offered by most Wiccans like Stewart Farrar who says in "Eight Sabbats for Witches":

"But `warlock', in the sense of `a male witch',
is Scottish Late Middle English and entirely
derogatory; its root means `traitor, enemy,
devil'; and if the very few modern male witches
who call themselves warlocks realized its
origin, they would join the majority and
share the title `witch' with their sisters."

I have felt for some time that there may be a connection between the term "ergi" which is used to refer to a male sorcerer who has an effeminate or "receptive" nature and warlock which refers to the traitor or oath-breaker. Perhaps this is one who has turned away from "manly" things who has turned his back on the warrior's lodge to embark on a pursuit of the "womanly" mysteries--of magick, divination, healing, and mediumship. Just a thought...

Check out these links to learn more...

http://www.ladyoftheearth.com/witch/warlock.txt

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ergi