Reasons for Decline: Fraudulent Cases - Overview Flashcards
What are our 4 key fraudulent cases?
1596-97: Boy of Burton Case
1634: Pendle Swindle
1662: Demon Drummer of Tedsworth
1712: The Jane Wenham Case
What was the Boy of Burton case in 1597? (3)
Alice Gooderidge is accused of causing hallucinations and fits by Thomas Darling (a doctor confirms this).
John Darrell is brought to exorcise Darling as his fits continued once Gooderidge had died.
In 1599, Darling confesses that it was made up.
Darrell is imprisoned for a year.
What happened to Alice Gooderidge?
She was arrested with her mother, Elizabeth Wright, and put on trial.
She was sentenced to death but died of a choking fit in prison before a date for her execution.
What happened to Thomas Darling and John Darrell?
They were both imprisoned for a year.
What was the impact of the Boy of Burton case? (4)
People became sceptical of exorcisms.
Darling’s confession showed that personal testimonies (esp from children) could be unreliable.
Church intro’d a law (1604) where exorcisms could only be performed with licenses.
“A Discovery of the Fraudulent Practises of John Darrel” (1599) made the case more widespread (led to the pamphlet war).
What was the pamphlet war?
A theological debate surrounding the power of the devil and the reliability of exorcisms.
What shows the insignificance of the Boy of Burton case? (2)
It didn’t change people’s views on witchcraft (seen as a one-off) - the 1604 witchcraft act was stricter than the one before it.
The key debate arising from the case was centred around exorcisms, not witchcraft.
What was the Pendle Swindle Case in 1934?
Edmund Robinson accused Jennett Device of participating in a Sabbat.
A hunt is organised and 17 more are accused.
The magistrate is sceptical and refers the case to London - the evidence is questioned (use of sleep deprivation) and Robinson admits to fraud.
What was the impact of The Pendle Swindle on witchcraft belief? (4)
The involvement of King Charles and the Privy Council shows how the case was being noticed by the elites.
The evidence-based approach reveals a more sceptical and careful approach to trials was developing.
The trial proved that accusations can be motivated by reasons that have nowt to do with the supernatural: accusers should be viewed sceptically.
John Webster met Robinson, was influenced by the case and published a sceptical book on it in 1677.
What demonstrates a lack of impact on belief due to the Pendle Swindle? (2)
Edmund Robinson went on to become a witch hunter - the case didn’t affect his credulity.
Matthew Hopkins became a major character in witch-hunting 11 years later.
- The worst was yet to come.
What was the Demon Drummer of Tedworth Case in 1662?
Drury used a drum to raise money for the poor, he was accused of using it to cast spells over houses, an investigation supports the accusation. Drury is deported for theft, and the disturbances stop immediately. Manages to escape when the ship he was on encounters storms.
What was the impact of the Demon Drummer case? (4)
It was continually revisited in the 17th century as a source of scepticism - influenced Webster and Bekker.
The Royal Society elevated this case, making it notorious - spread scepticism.
Provoked a debate on the existence of the supernatural.
A logical, empirical approach was taken during the case.
What shows us that the Demon Drummer case did not have much of an impact? (2)
The overall consensus was that supernatural forces were to blame - little change in the belief towards witches.
Still over 70 years until the Witchcraft Repeal Act.
What was the 1712 Jane Wenham Case?
Jane Wenham was a wise woman, with a reputation for being a witch. She was falsely accused of bewitching someone, and when her compensation wasn’t enough she cast a curse, 16 people support different accusations. The judge at trial is sceptical about the case and recommends she be found innocent.
What was the impact of the Jane Wenham case? (4)
Despite being found guilty, the judge released her - the law was embracing reason over mob hysteria.
The judge ridiculed most of the evidence provided.
It led to a sceptical book in 1718: “A Historical Essay Concerning Witchcraft” Francis Hutchinson.
Last guilty verdict in England.
