Context: Identifying Witches Flashcards
Was it a straightforward process?
No, obvious suspects were often lacking.
Who would usually be the number 1 suspect?
If misfortune struck a community, the number 1 suspect would be a known witch in the local vicinity.
Which groups were often accused of being hidden witches?
- Elderly women.
- The physically deformed.
- The socially awkward/withdrawn.
Were men exempt from accusations?
No, men were not free from suspicion.
What was the swimming test?
The suspect would have their right thumb tied to their ig left toe, and their left thumb to their big right toe.
Then, secured by a rope, they would be tossed into a body of water 3 times.
If they floated, they were guilty.
If they sank, they were innocent.
Why did the guilty float?
Because the water had rejected them.
Why were suspects sometimes scratched?
It was believed they could break a spell by drawing blood from the witch.
What did accused witches have to recite?
The Lord’s Prayer:
Believed no witch could make it to the end.
What were marks on the body a sign of?
Guilt.
The “guilty marks” were often…
warts, moles and extra nipples.
What did Matthew Hopkins do to suspects?
They were “watched” for days and nights:
They were allowed no rest, sleep or food.
This deprivation led to many confessions.
