Marks of an Absolute Witch

Marks of an Absolute Witch
Author: Orna Alyagon Darr
Publisher: Ashgate Publishing, Ltd.
Total Pages: 335
Release: 2011
Genre: History
ISBN: 1409430243

Exploring the crime of witchcraft in early modern England, this book focuses on legal questions of proof. As a capital crime - yet one that was uniquely difficult to prove - witchcraft investigations and trials offer a fascinating lens through which to observe social and judicial attitudes towards crime, punishment and evidentiary standards. The witchcraft debate took place within the formative era of modern evidence law, and the book highlights the mutual influences between the witch trials and major legal developments.

The History of Witchcraft and Demonology

The History of Witchcraft and Demonology
Author: Montague Summers
Publisher: Routledge/Thoemms Press
Total Pages: 412
Release: 1926
Genre: Body, Mind & Spirit
ISBN:

This work about witchcraft, sorcery, black magic, neuromancy, damnation, satanism and every kind of magic and occult is written by the undisputed scholar in the field and is a work of unprecedented authority, of interest to all who are connected with the subject.

A History of Witchcraft in England from 1558 to 1718

A History of Witchcraft in England from 1558 to 1718
Author: Wallace Notestein
Publisher: Good Press
Total Pages: 400
Release: 2023-10-04
Genre: History
ISBN:

Wallace Notestein's 'A History of Witchcraft in England from 1558 to 1718' is a comprehensive exploration of the cultural and legal contexts surrounding the infamous witch hunts during the Early Modern period. Notestein meticulously examines the beliefs, accusations, and persecutions of individuals accused of practicing witchcraft, shedding light on the socio-political climate that fueled such hysteria. Drawing from archival records and contemporary accounts, Notestein's scholarly approach delves deep into the psychological and societal motivations behind the witch trials, offering valuable insights into this dark chapter of English history. Notestein's writing is engaging, with a clear and concise style that appeals to both academics and general readers interested in the topic. His meticulous research and thoughtful analysis elevate this book from a mere historical account to a nuanced exploration of the human psyche and the power dynamics at play in witchcraft accusations. Wallace Notestein, a renowned historian of Early Modern England, brings his expertise to bear in this authoritative study of witchcraft, providing readers with a compelling narrative that challenges conventional assumptions and encourages critical reflection. For anyone interested in the history of witchcraft, Notestein's 'A History of Witchcraft in England from 1558 to 1718' is an essential read that offers valuable insights into a complex and enduring phenomenon.

Accused

Accused
Author: Willow Winsham
Publisher: Pen and Sword
Total Pages: 187
Release: 2016-09-19
Genre: Biography & Autobiography
ISBN: 1473850045

The true stories of eleven notorious women, across five centuries, who were feared, victimized, and condemned for witchcraft in the British Isles. Beginning with the late Middle Ages—from Ireland to Hampshire—hundreds of women were accused of spellcasting, wicked seduction, murder, and consorting with the devil. Most were fated for the gallows or the stake. What did it mean for these prisoners to stand accused? What were they really guilty of? And by whom were they persecuted? Drawing on a wealth of primary sources including trial documents, church and census records, and the original sensationalist pamphlets describing the crimes, historian Willow Winsham finds the startling answers to these questions. In the process, she resurrects the lives, deaths, and mysteries of eleven women subjected to history’s most notable witch trials. From Irish “sorceress” Alice Kyteler who, in 1324 was the first accused witch on record, to Scottish psychic Helen Duncan who, in 1944, was the last woman imprisoned under Britain’s Witchcraft Act of 1735. Dames, servant girls, aggrieved neighbors, suspect widows, cat ladies, prostitutes, mothers, wives, daughters, and sisters. Accused brings all these victims, and the eras in which they lived and died, back to life in “an incredibly well researched . . . stunning and admirable piece of work, highly recommended” (Terry Tyler, author of the Project Renova series).

Witchcraft and Magic in Europe, Volume 5

Witchcraft and Magic in Europe, Volume 5
Author: Bengt Ankarloo
Publisher: University of Pennsylvania Press
Total Pages: 360
Release: 1999-10-14
Genre: History
ISBN: 9780812217063

Topics include the decline of the witchcraft trials and the role of witchcraft and magic in enlightenment, romantic, and liberal thought.

Witchcraft and Magic in Europe, Volume 5

Witchcraft and Magic in Europe, Volume 5
Author: Marijke Gijswijt-Hofstra
Publisher: A&C Black
Total Pages: 353
Release: 1999-01-01
Genre: History
ISBN: 0485890054

The end of the eighteenth century saw the end of the witch trials everywhere. This volume charts the processes and reasons for the decriminalisation of witchcraft but also challenges the widespread assumption that Europe has been 'disenchanted'. For the first time surveys are given of the social role of witchcraft in European communities down to the end of the nineteenth century and of the continued importance of witchcraft and magic as topics of debate among intellectuals and other writers>

Witchcraft, the Devil, and Emotions in Early Modern England

Witchcraft, the Devil, and Emotions in Early Modern England
Author: Charlotte-Rose Millar
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 222
Release: 2017-07-14
Genre: History
ISBN: 1134769881

This book represents the first systematic study of the role of the Devil in English witchcraft pamphlets for the entire period of state-sanctioned witchcraft prosecutions (1563-1735). It provides a rereading of English witchcraft, one which moves away from an older historiography which underplays the role of the Devil in English witchcraft and instead highlights the crucial role that the Devil, often in the form of a familiar spirit, took in English witchcraft belief. One of the key ways in which this book explores the role of the Devil is through emotions. Stories of witches were made up of a complex web of emotionally implicated accusers, victims, witnesses, and supposed perpetrators. They reveal a range of emotional experiences that do not just stem from malefic witchcraft but also, and primarily, from a witch’s links with the Devil. This book, then, has two main objectives. First, to suggest that English witchcraft pamphlets challenge our understanding of English witchcraft as a predominantly non-diabolical crime, and second, to highlight how witchcraft narratives emphasized emotions as the primary motivation for witchcraft acts and accusations.