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I’ve recently updated my website www.linsert.org including the C16th report of a 1460 case. The words “scratche” and “scartht” are terms used in other manuscripts of the text. I use the word hermaphrodite as that, I think, would be the dominant term at the time. The case was represented as one of the strange events that foretold the death of James II (the others including, from memory, a comet – we rarely have earthquakes in Scotland even when a king dies!). Lyndesay is not to be trusted as a historian, as is evident even from the text. The content and tone of the text is, of course, unpleasant. As it is so short I’ve pasted it below but it is also available at http://www.linsert.org/Resources/Articles-Extracts/Lyndesay.htm Brian Brian Dempsey Lecturer School of Law University of Dundee www.linsert.org Extract Historie and Chronicles of Scotland (c.1570, reprinted 1899) Robert Lyndesay of Pittscottie Extract on the 1460 execution of an unnamed 'skartht yat was born of baith the kyndis maile and female' (ie a hermaphrodite or intersex person) (Chapt. 31, p145-6 of Volume 1 of the 1899 edition)] It is said that thair was maney marvellis about that tyme quhilk pronosticat the kingis deid. […] In the yeir preceiding thair was ane bairn borne quhilk had baitht the kyndis of maill and famell callit in our language, karthe [scratche/scarcht] in quhome mans nature did prevaill bot because the dispositioun and protratour [portraiture] of body did represent ane woman, in ane mans house in Lythtgow and assotiatit in beding witht the good mans dochter of the house and maid her to consaue ane child quhilk being devoullgat throw the contrie and the matrounis wnderstanding this damesell dessawith in this matter and being offendit that the monstrowous creatur sould sett him self fourtht as ane woman beand ane werie man, they gat him accusit and convickit in iudgement for to be burieit quick for his schamfull behavieour.