sceptical cases

• Boy of Burton 1597


  In 1596, Darling had lost his uncle in the forest and began having hallucinations and seizures after claiming he met a woman there. Neighbours accused mother and daughter Alice Goodridge and Elizabeth Wright. Goodridge was then arrested and confessed. John Darrell was brought in to perform an exorcism on Darling and the hallucinations stopped. He also performed an exorcism on Somers in 1597 in Nottingham and attracted suspicion. He was put on trial and Darling and Somers said that he told them to fake their symptoms. A Canon was drain up in 1604 that forbade any clergymen to practice exorcisms without a license.
• Boy of Burton leading to sceptical attitudes

  • Darrell was a minister, direct involvement of senior clergy, Bancroft issued a Canon in 1604 forbidding exorcism without a license
• Boy of Burton criticisms - Pendle trials only 15 years later/ Pamphlet war – example of factional infighting within the church/ sceptical belief was still a minority – Bishop Hall of Norwich/ Daemonologie published 1597
• The Pendle Swindle 1634

  Edmund Robinson brought up a case of witchcraft to avoid punishment from his father. He claimed to be visited by 2 families – 1 transformed into a woman. He was taken to a gathering of witches. His father notified the magistrates – took him to local churches to identify the witches. They took in 25 women – 17 guilty – after convictions, magistrates doubted. They went into further investigation – found nothing – him and his dad and 4 of the accused were sent to London. 1 woman confessed and became a witch hunter.
• The Pendle swindle leading to sceptical attitudes

  • Involvement of the Privy Council, his dad had an argument with Francis Dickinson over a payment of a cow
• The Pendle Swindle criticisms - some of the accused were still in jail 3 years later/ 11 years later, Matthew Hopkins trials took place
• The Demon Drummer of Tedworth 1662


  John Mompesson found Drudy with a farudelent oass to collect money for charity. Mompesson took Drury's drum home. They then began to hear strange noises such as dogs barking and money jingling. The house became an attraction and representatives of Charles II were sent to investigate. The case appeared in two newspapers which then brought the attention of Glanvill. He visited and reported the same noises. Drury was sentences to deportation for theft but was accused of the storms that helped him escape.
• The Demon Drummer of Tedworth leading to sceptical attitudes

  • Important later in the century
• Demon Drummer of Tedworth criticisms - took 15 years for someone to dispute it
• Jane Wenham 1712


  Last formal witch trial. Accused of bewitching a farmer and causing his crops to fail. Anne Thorne (16) complained that Wenham had bewitched her and had hallucinations and fits. Failed prayer test. She was tried and ointments were found under her bed and used as evidence. The jury found her guilty but the judge secured a royal pardon and she was unable to return to Walkern.
• Jane Wenham leading to sceptical attitudes

  • Involvement of Whig politicians, last formal witch trial, Judge sceptical - "there is no law against flying" - influenced by recent sceptical books
• Jane Wenham criticisms - was still found guilty by the jury – popular belief in witchcraft/ was a puritan – 20% of Walkern were/ was poor (stole turnips and straw) and most accusers were wealthy
• Holt 1689 -1701

  Very sceptical, rational and sympathetic judge, suspicious of supernatural events, oversaw at least 11 (maybe 12) trials of witchcraft – each resulted in an acquittal
• Holt main cases and outcomes

  • 1701 – Sarah Murdock – acquitted her but met with opposition – put the accuser on trial, 1691 – acquitted 2 girls from Somerset, accused of bewitching a girl who had fallen ill, 1694 – Mother Munnings – refused to accept some evidence and refused to accept the charges
• Holt criticisms - Matthew Hale (his predecessor) found every witch guilty – willing to accept dubious testimonies to secure convictions
• Scot 1584


  Extremely well read, a number of high-profile witch hunts took place in Chelmsford – 1582 – 14 arrested and 2 executed, mainly lived on the family estate in Kent and socialised with the strong believing tenants, born 1538 – brought up in a time with a lot of religious changes, gave great attention to the physician Jonan Weyer's 'on the illusion of Demons' - stated that witches suffered from melancholia, viewed that trials were built on very dubious foundations due to children being used in Chelmsford trials as witnesses
• Scot main points

  • Belief in the supernatural unknown, published 'the Discovorie of Witchcraft' in 1584, member of 'Family of Love' - radical protestant sect that rejected many practices such as infant baptism – many wealthy and high-profile individuals
• Scot criticisms - King James VI of Scotland ordered all of the books were to be burned/ 2nd editions not published again until 1651/ Daemonologie was a response and mentioned Scot directly
• Harsnett 1599


  Was present at the Boy of Burton examination of Darrell, went to Cambridge and born from a relatively humble family, became a Bishop and then an Archbishop in 1629, had an anti-Catholic feeling – stated that Catholics were quick to perform tricks and miracles in sermons
• Harsnett main points

  • Pamphlet war with Darrell – led to questioning the entire possibility of demonic possession and its cure by prayer and fasting, focuses on Catholic deceiving people
• Harsnett criticisms - minority of opinion/ Bishop Hall of Norwich wrote a pamphlet against Harsnett
• Ady 1656 background and influences


  Lived most of his life in Essex, was a renowned doctor, witnessed in person trials in Bury St Edmunds – likely by Hopkins, protestant, influenced by Scot, believed people have forgotten the lessons of Scot
• Ady evidence put forward

  • Bible identified witches as Catholics and adulterers, criticised torture methods – swimming test, sleep deprivation, Anti-Catholic feeling, uses the Bible more often, said there was no evidence or mention of familiars in the Bible, hated magicians (Hocus Pocus Junior)
• Ady criticisms - his only source was the Bible/ Demon Drummer of Tedworthonly 6 years later/ Burroughs – 1692 brough Ady’s book when put on trial at Salem witch trials to prove he wasn’t a witch – still found guilty
• Webster 1677 background and influences


  Doctor and preacher, studied chemistry and medicine – liked scientific methods, Parliamentary Army – chaplain and surgeon, non-conformist – due to this the republic government seized his books, agreed with Ady that belief not founded in the teachings of the Bible should be rejected, met Edmund Robinson and asked if his story was true
• Webster evidence put forward

  • Believed that witches existed but that they didn't have supernatural powers, did not believe the Devil as involved, accusations could be explained with natural causes, thought the complainant of the Demon Drummer was at fault, said Edmund Robinson was instructed by his father
• Webster criticisms - 15 years after Demon Drummer case/ Hugh Trevor-Roper said the origins of his work can be found in the works of Scot and Weyer – intellectual debate had not progressed much since then/ also said the decline of the power of the church had more of an impact
• Bekker 1691 background and influence


  Dutch clergyman, followed cartesian ideology, rationalist, influenced by Scot and Ady, accepted into the Royal Society after his death
• Bekker evidence put forward


  • Natural events can't be explained by reference of the Bible, states that unless the Devil had a body, he can't influence people – he is always in Hell, if you believed in the Devil, you are a heretic, God created the Devil so it didn't have any power, witches shouldn't be blamed for natural events, sold 4000 copies in the first 2 months
• Bekker criticisms - put on trial in Germany/ another pamphlet war