Frederick Valletta - Witchcraft, Magic and Superstition in England, 1640–70

Witchcraft, Magic and Superstition in England, 164070

FREDERICK VALLETTA

First published 2000 by Ashgate Publishing

Published 2016 by Routledge

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Copyright Frederick Valletta, 2000

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British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data

Valletta, Frederick.

Witchcraft, Magic and Superstition in England, 164070.

1. WitchcraftEnglandHistory17th century. 2. MagicEnglandHistory17th century. 3. SuperstitionEnglandHistory17th century.

I. Title.

133.43094209032

Library of Congress Control Number: 00107424

ISBN 13: 978-0-7546-0244-6 (hbk)

This book examines the relationship between intellectual and popular beliefs in witchcraft, magic and superstition in England. In particular, these issues are considered against the background of political, religious and social upheaval characteristic of the Civil War, Interregnum and Restoration periods. It seeks to explain why witchcraft prosecution enjoyed a revival during this period, when earlier indications would seem to demonstrate witchcraft prosecutions were on the decline. Throughout the book it is stressed that deeply held superstitions were fundamental to belief in witches, the devil, ghosts, apparitions and supernatural healing. In addition the way such superstitions were used by both political and religious authorities is examined. Despite the fact that popular superstitions were often condemned, it was recognised that their propaganda value was too useful to ignore. A host of pamphlets and treatises was published during this period unashamedly incorporating such beliefs. The employment of demonic imagery and language in such polemics may not have been officially sanctioned, but it had the advantage of at least being easily understood and recognised by most people.

The work is divided into an introduction, seven chapters, a conclusion and three appendices. The introduction sets out the problematic and context of the argument. assesses why people made allegations of witchcraft, and, more importantly, why people may have confessed to witchcraft. The three appendices provide respectively: quantitative data on individual witches gleaned from all the sources examined, an explanation of sympathetic magic, the principles and beliefs concerning humoral medicine.

The bulk of this book is based on research I conducted between 1993 and 1997 for my doctoral thesis. Many people and organisations contributed their expertise and help at various stages during this period and it would be impossible to name all of them. However, certain individuals deserve special mention. I am particularly grateful to Joan Valletta for her financial and moral support throughout my research. Without her magnanimity my original doctoral thesis would never have been embarked upon in the first place. In addition my PhD supervisor Ian Roy deserves a special mention, as he did much to encourage me and point me in the right direction, especially when my enthusiasm was flagging. The staff at Norfolk, Suffolk, Oxford and Somerset record offices, together with the staff at the British Library were all particularly helpful. I am also grateful to the NRO Archivist, Mrs Freda Williams-Jones, for assisting me in the translation from Latin of the witchcraft presentments from the Norwich Borough Sessions, and Miss D. Spelman for translating the witchcraft presentments from the Great Yarmouth Borough Sessions.

I have received much useful advice from various members of the Institute of Historical Research at London: Henry Roseverre, John Miller and Ivar McGrath were of particular help. Acknowledgements are also due to Justin Champion, Stuart Clark, Michael Hunter, Lyndal Roper, Jim Sharpe, Andrew Weir, and Roy Watson-Davis for proffering useful advice at various stages of my research.

Finally, I should like to thank my family for all their support and encouragement. My deepest thanks goes out to my wife Cathy for all her moral support and putting up with the inevitable dislocation to domestic life that a work such as this entails.