East Anglia

Question 1

When did the East Anglia Witch Hunt take place?

Answer 1

1645-1647

Question 2

How many people were accused/faced trial?

Answer 2

700 people

80% of them were women

Question 3

Where did the East Anglia witch hunt take place?

Answer 3

In 7 counties across East Anglia

• Suffolk
• Northamptonshire
• Cambridgeshire

Question 4

When did the English Civil War begin and end?

Answer 4

1642-1649

Question 5

Why was England at war?

Answer 5

• King Charles I had overstepped his power as King –> 11-year rule
• He imposed the Ship Tax across the country which was only meant for coastal towns during war.
• He married a Catholic woman & began to treat Protestants badly.

Question 6

What were the two sides of the war?

Answer 6

Catholic/Royalist Sympathisers

Vs

Protestant, Puritan/Parliamentarian Sympathisers

Question 7

How was the Suffolk population affected by the Civil War?

Answer 7

• 20% of men were taken to fight for Parliament

* The Eastern Association provided many troops for the Parliamentarian army

Question 8

How did the traditional power authorities change as a result of the Civil War?

Answer 8

• Many men died in battle → fears around women becoming too powerful
• The Church of England was weaker under Charles→ the authority of the church was undermined
• The local gentry went away to fight → their long term absence meant their authority was undermined

Question 9

What impact did all of this have on the view of women?

Answer 9

• Women were seen to be becoming too powerful and people translated their fears of the war to a fear in women and witches
• FEAR of witches as “bad women” and “bad mothers”

Question 10

How do we know that there was genuine concern around the changing perception of women?

Answer 10

• Women joined extreme sects like Ranters and the Anabaptists and began to preach/give prophesy
• Women became deeply involved in politics, attempting to influence the outcome of political issues through petitions and protests.
• They formed a significant portion of the peace movement.

Question 11

Why did women confess to being witches?

Answer 11

• Some women genuinely believed that they had magical powers; others may have been mentally ill.
• Some women had thoughts of killing their children as they were unable to provide for them due to the war.

Question 12

How was the religious context of the time an influence on women’s confessions?

Answer 12

Good and bad things were explained in terms of God and the devil.

• thoughts of depression and suicide, were viewed as the effects of the devil
  * Clear gender roles in society, the Puritan expectation was that women would be good mothers and wives

Question 13

What was the religious context of East Anglia during the C17th?

Answer 13

There was a strong Puritan influence that had been present since the reign of King James I

Question 14

How did Puritanism view witchcraft?

Answer 14

• There was a strong focus on the importance of Scripture and its role in guiding how people lived their lives
• People were innately sinful and could therefore be tempted by the Devil
• Culturally women were less important, and attempts to increase their power/influence was sinful

Question 15

How did changes in prices and wages affect people’s lives?

Answer 15

• Inflation was a big issue
  - -> price of livestock increased by 12%
  - -> price of grain increased by 15%
• Meanwhile wages didn’t increase which caused poverty

Question 16

How did the war affect local economies?

Answer 16

Armies needed resources
–> Horses that worked on the fields were
confiscated by armies
–> Armies took food from farms and fields as they
were marching through the area

Question 17

What tax was introduced in 1643?

Answer 17

A new type of tax

In East Anglia, it was 12 times higher than Ship Tax

Question 18

What happened to the function of the Assize court?

Answer 18

They were unable to function normally SO Lord magistrates and other locals gave out justice instead (this went very badly)

Question 19

What role did the Earl of Warwick play in the hunt?

Answer 19

The Earl of Warwick

• no legal experience at all
• sent 19 women to hang in 1645 during the assize courts, * shows that it caused the intensity of the hunt to increase

Question 20

Why were laws difficult to implement?

Answer 20

The was no Kingly influence

Question 21

How did a lack of authority lead to an increase in tension?

Answer 21

• the hunt spread quickly because there was nothing stopping them
• Local fears intensified as they didn’t know who to blame for their problems
• Hopkins & Stearne were gratefully received by locals because of their knowledge and efficiency

Question 22

What led to increased poverty in East Anglia?

Answer 22

• poor weather conditions led to crop failure & the growth of ergot caused hallucinations if eaten
• Further inflation - prices of food increased
• Landlords closed land & evicted tenants

Question 23

How did the closure of land and evictions create suspected witches?

Answer 23

Sir Sandys (Ely)
some of the women who protested later became
accused and executed witches

Margaret Moore
Evicted as she couldn’t afford more rent, she became
reliant on charity. She was then accused for causing
life stock failures and a child’s murder.

Question 24

How did Puritans interpret the economic situation?

Answer 24

• It was a punishment from God/a sign that Charles should not return to the throne
• idleness means sinfulness & some stopped providing charity

^ Elizabeth Clarke and Anne West evidence of this

Question 25

How did Puritan beliefs lead to an increase in tension around witchcraft?

Answer 25

• became easy to blame misfortune on witches especially with their connection to the Devil
• Wealthier members feared that old women beggars would use magic in revenge

Question 26

What do some historians see the hunts as?

Answer 26

Organised and deliberate violence against women