East Anglia Witch Craze
Breakdown of Traditional Authority
Civil War
Matthew Hopkins and John Stearne
Economic
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1625 – Charles I become King Of England, Scotland and Ireland. He was king due to his brother Henry dying
Parliament had become more important during the Tudor and Stuart period
Charles came to blows with parliament in the 1620s – mainly due to money and military failures
1629 – Charles dissolves parliament for 11 years
During the 11 years, Puritan MPs were not happy with Charles’ almost Catholic approach to religion
Ship Tax (or Ship Money) further caused resentment
Parliament is recalled in 1640 and debates between them and Charles continue until 1642 when he attempts to arrest 5 leading MPs – they flee and Charles raises an army in what he claimed was self-defence.
August 1642, Charles raised his standard in Nottingham – start of the Civil War
First battle is Edgehill in October 1642
1645 – New Model Army formed by parliament – most soldiers taken from the Eastern Association
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By 1645, East Anglia had been through 3 years of Civil War – Suffolk was parliaments main recruiting ground.
Little actual fighting took place in the area however as many as 20% of men left to fight.
Further death (on top of high mortality rates) led to a strained existence.
Deaths led to a shift in traditional power relationships = worries about women becoming too powerful
Traditional authority of Church of England was undermined
Authority of local gentry undermined
Absence of traditional authority meant that various fears manifested themselves as a witch hunt = fear of enemies/spies everywhere translated as fear of the Devil and witches
Margery Sparham from Suffolk = confessed to entertaining the Devil’s imps in the shape of a mole and two blackbirds. She was left alone and vulnerable when her husband went to fight. LINK with Eve and vulnerability of women – the Devil can manipulate them easily.
Stories of strange occurrences = Royalist woman from Lancashire gave birth to a headless baby, women beginning to drink and swear like men etc
FEAR of witches as “bad women” and “bad mothers”
Legal structures
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Assize courts unable to function normally and Local magistrates and other locals dished out justice
No Kingly authority meant laws were difficult to implement
War heading towards East Anglia = assize circuits disrupted, those with little authority oversaw the ones that did happen (e.g Earl of Warwick had no experience and oversaw the Essex Assizes in 1645)
Witch hunt able to spread quickly and local fears intensified
Hopkins and Stearne were able to work – locals thankful for their knowledge and efficiency.
Matthew Hopkins--> He had two older brothers so he would have been aware from an early age that he wouldn’t inherit the estate
THEIR INFLUENCE
- Despite a lack of qualifications and experience, they both became very good at their work.
- They were able to make assessments of suspected witches quickly and efficiently before moving on to receive their next invitation.
- They were paid a fee and expenses, consisting of food, lodgings and horses.
- Local magistrates and officials often helped in interrogations and there is evidence that they occasionally testified in court.
- There is not evidence that they were actually present at the executions of the witches – they would only stay long enough to set legal proceedings in motion
He was older than Hopkins and was in his mid-30s during the hunt
He grew up in Suffolk and was married to Agnes Cawston – they had a daughter called Anne.
He was a Puritan and was the first to receive a warrant to search suspected witches from Manningtree magistrates Sir Harbottle Grimston and Sir Thomas Bowes. Hopkins volunteered to help him.
The hunt starts when Hopkins is kept awake at night by a meeting of witches near his house in Manningree in 1644. The first witches were all women and they presented their accusations to magistrate Si Harbottle Grimston. They then began offering their services to towns and parishes for a fee.
Why was the hunt widespread
- Extreme economic hardship – poor weather, inflation and effects of the Civil War. Poor harvests and soldiers requiring more food and supplies = scapegoats were sought.
- Breakdown of traditional authority that was usually exercised by the Crown, gentry and clergy.
- Breakdown of traditional legal systems – assize judges found it hard to keep to schedule so Hopkins etc had more freedom. When this is restored after the war – no need for men like Hopkins and Stearne
- Hopkins and Stearne played a significant role in beginning the craze and ensuring it was widespread. John Gaule singles Hopkins out which shows his significance. Also when Hopkins dies – the hunt dies down – this shows how important he is.
Crop failures – wet weather and ergot - poverty. Even eating the Seed Corn - desperation
Price of meat and cheese rose by 20%
Puritan’s interpreted this as punishment from God – a sign that Charles should not be returned to the throne
Easy to blame misfortunes on witches
Landlords enclosed land and evicted tenants = more begging and a lack of charity
Puritans = idleness means sinfulness – some stop paying poor rates
Better-off continued to fear that old woman beggars would use magic in revenge for a lack of charity