Case Study- East Anglia Flashcards
What years did the East Anglia Witch hunt take place?
1645-1647
Why did the original quarrel with parliament begin?
Charles came to blows with the government over his approach to government finance and his failed military expeditions
When did Charles officially dissolve parliament?
1629
How long did Charles rule alone for?
11 years
When and Why did Charles recall parliament
- 1640
- To persuade them to vote him the funds to fight a war with the Scot’s
What did Charles do while parliament was dissolved which further angered MP’s
The religious policies Charles had formulated with William Laud, Archbishop of Canterbury were catholic in appearance, most MP’s were puritan
What was Ship Money?
Charles’s form of tax which was at first just in coastal towns to pay for his fleet but eventually reached the entirety of England
When did the Civil War officially begin?
August 1642
What was the New Model Army?
A national army made up of former parliamentary regiments. It was disciplined and well trained. Helped parliament gain a decisive victory at the Battle of Naseby in 1945.
Why was Suffolk significant in the Civil War?
It was parliament’s main recruiting ground
How Many Men left Suffolk during the war?
20%
Who was Margey Sparham?
An accused witch in Suffolk, she was a witch due to her husband being at war leaving her vulnerable
Did the Church of England lose or gain authority during the civil war
- They lost authority, in areas controlled by parliament undesirable ministers were ejected and replaced by puritan ones
What did authority for the local gentry look like?
- it was undermined as many of them left their estates to fight, those with royalist sympathies faced arrest and confiscation of their assets
What happened as a result of a loss of traditional authority?
Fear began to grow of not only enemies on the outside but enemies within, this would manifest itself into the witch hunt.
What did the Legal Structure look like in East Anglia?
Assize courts were unable to function normally during the war meaning ‘justice’ was often handed over to local magistrates or by individuals with limited legal education.
Which areas did the witch hunt take place?
Essex, Suffolk, Norfolk, Cambridgeshire, Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire.
What was the Eastern Association?
A military organization compromising of the seven-county militias of Eastern England during the English Civil War
Who was the Earl of Warwick?
One of the most senior members of parliament, sent to oversee justice in Essex, he had little legal experience and he worked closely with county magistrates. He sentenced 19 women to hang.
How many people were executed?
700 were accused 400 were killed
What was Ergot?
A fungal disease that particularly affects Rye.
What was Ergotism
A poisoning that caused headaches, vomiting, and spasms caused by ingesting ergot. Some historians blame this for accusations of witchcraft as it may have caused hallucinatons
What led to crop failure during the mid-1640s?
wet summers and freezing winters
What percentage did wheat, cheese, and meat rise by in 1646?
20%
What did puritan preachers interpret the economic challenges as?
A punishment from God that Charles should not be back on the throne, led to people blaming witches for their problems
How much did livestock prices increase by?
12%
How much did grain prices increase by?
15%
How many women were accused?
80%
When did Hopkins first become concerned with witches?
1644 - claimed his house was next to a witches meeting place
Who were Hopkins and Stearne?
Men who offered their services as witchfinders to parishes and towns.
Who was Elizabeth Clarke?
The first woman to be accused in Manningtree. She was inspected by four women for a devils mark and was found with three teats. She was sleep deprived and then named other witches.
Who was John Lowes?
an 80 year old royalist clergymen who was accused of witchcraft due to his defense of a woman accused of being a witch. He was made to endure the swimming test, he floated and then was tortured into confessing and giving other names
Did Hopkins and Stearne charge?
Yes - they charged local councils for their services
What was Hopkins defense pamphlet called?
The Discovery of witches - written after he was subjected to questioning of his methods.
What did Hopkins want to find evidence of in his cases?
Evidence of sexual activity with the Devil and the suckling of imps.
What percentage of witches were charged with killing children?
20%
Which people were mainly targeted as being witches?
Women and the poorer class. Often people who went to wealthier neigbours for charity and were deined
What religion were both Stearne and Hopkins?
Puritan
What did Hopkins and Stearne mainly look for in witches?
- relationship between witch and devil
- Devils mark
- Imps or familiars given by the Devil
- Other witches of the same coven
What methods did Hopkins and Stearne use?
- Isolation
- Invasive searches
- “watching” essentially being sleep deprived and watched by a group of people
- made to walk around a room
- (not on record but suspected) physical violence
- Swimming test
Who was Matthew Hopkins?
A self declared “witchfinder general” who was the son of puritan clergyman James Hopkins
When was the discovery of witches published?
1647
REASONS FOR WITCHCRAZE ENDING:
- What was the growing costs
- Imprisonment cost - £50 while waiting for execution per prisoner
- Assizes carried an expense 1945 Bury st. Edmunds judge sent an invoice for £130
- Executions cost money, some cost £3 per execution
- Fees demanded by Hopkins and Stearne became controversial, Hopkins complained about not being paid enough. Took increasingly more money for each search
REASONS FOR WITCHCRAZE ENDING:
- Re-establishment of traditional authority
- Fighting ceased in 1646
- Royalists were returning to their estates
- Traditional assize courts are returned towards the end of the hunts
- 1647 presiding judges on a case were given questions on Hopkins and Stearne phrased by local gentry
REASONS FOR WITCHCRAZE ENDING:
- Role of John Gaule
Gaule was the minister of Great Staugton
- He published his works ‘Select cases of consience touching Witches and Witchcrafts’ where he criticised Hopkins and Stearnes methods
- He also began a campagin of preaching against the witchfinders
- He helped in the long term to persuade judges that there was no need for witch hunts
