Matthew Hopkins and the witch hunts of 1645-1647
The early modern period saw the greatest political upheaval that England has ever experienced. Between 1642 and 1651, there was a When different groups of people within the same country come into conflict with each other. in England between the Royalists and Parliament over the power of the king and the government. When Parliament's forces defeated the king's army, Charles I was executed. The war and the death of the king changed the structure of power in England, creating a feeling of insecurity and fear. This led to an increase in distrust within communities as their day-to-day lives were changed.
Witchcraft accusations
In a historical context, this was thought to be a kind of magic that could be used to cause harm to people or property. Witches were often accused of obtaining their power from the Devil. was taken very seriously. In 1542, the Witchcraft Act made it a criminal offence. Between 1645 and 1647, approximately 250 accusations of witchcraft came before the authorities in East Anglia. This was the largest number of accusations that England had experienced in one place over such a short time. It was described as a 鈥榳itch hunt鈥.
At least 100 people were executed for witchcraft between 1645 and 1647 in East Anglia. In all, about 1,000 people were executed for witchcraft between 1542 and 1736.
Matthew Hopkins
Matthew Hopkins, a lawyer and the self-proclaimed Witchfinder General, was at the centre of these accusations. Hopkins began searching for witches in East Anglia in 1645 alongside his assistant, John Stearne. Hopkins named as many as 300 women as witches. He collected 'evidence' against them to prove they had used harmful magic against their neighbours or livestock.
There was so much panic that accusations were made against 117 people in Sudbury alone. Most of those accused were old women, the poor and the vulnerable. Hopkins would gain confessions from women after keeping them awake and hungry for several days. He claimed that scars and spots were proof of a 鈥楧evil鈥檚 mark鈥, from which A supernatural spirit or demon that supposedly served a witch. It was generally thought to take the form of an animal, such as a black cat. would suck the witches鈥 blood. However, most poor women had marks on their body from performing day-to-day manual labour. Those found guilty of witchcraft were either hanged or drowned.
The fear of witches spread to other towns. Hopkins and Stearne were employed to continue their witch hunt and were paid for each witchcraft accusation that was proven. Between 1645 and 1647, around 112 of those accused of witchcraft were executed by hanging. In 1647, Matthew Hopkins disappeared from any records.
Reasons for the increase in witchcraft accusations
Historians continue to debate the reasons for the increase in witchcraft accusations between 1645 and 1647.
| Reason | Description |
| Role of Hopkins | Hopkins was willing to find evidence and gain confessions to prove the accusations of witchcraft. He was paid for his work. Without him, there may not have been an increase in accusations. |
| Role of James I | James I鈥檚 fear of witchcraft created panic throughout England. His book Daemonologie (1597) described what people thought of as the horrors of witchcraft, gave reasons for believing in witches and provided instructions on how to run witch trials. Readers were encouraged to find witches and put them on trial. He influenced wider belief that witchcraft was a crime against the monarch and God. |
| Social tensions | The English Civil War led to a period of economic hardship, especially in villages. This increased tensions and distrust between the rich and poor. The wealthier villagers were unsettled when the poor asked for help. Elderly and vulnerable women were often blamed when things went wrong. |
| Laws | In 1542 witchcraft became a crime. Changes to the law in the 16th century allowed witchcraft accusations to be tried in local courts and punished with death. |
| Religious changes | It is believed that Protestants in the 17th century feared Catholics and the 鈥榦ld鈥 religion of Catholicism that was still practised throughout Europe. It has been argued that this fear led to them trying to cleanse society by accusing women of witchcraft. |
| The English Civil War | This was a period of political upheaval, as friends and family went to war against one another. This unsettled the country and caused an increase in fear and suspicion. |
| Reason | Role of Hopkins |
|---|---|
| Description | Hopkins was willing to find evidence and gain confessions to prove the accusations of witchcraft. He was paid for his work. Without him, there may not have been an increase in accusations. |
| Reason | Role of James I |
|---|---|
| Description | James I鈥檚 fear of witchcraft created panic throughout England. His book Daemonologie (1597) described what people thought of as the horrors of witchcraft, gave reasons for believing in witches and provided instructions on how to run witch trials. Readers were encouraged to find witches and put them on trial. He influenced wider belief that witchcraft was a crime against the monarch and God. |
| Reason | Social tensions |
|---|---|
| Description | The English Civil War led to a period of economic hardship, especially in villages. This increased tensions and distrust between the rich and poor. The wealthier villagers were unsettled when the poor asked for help. Elderly and vulnerable women were often blamed when things went wrong. |
| Reason | Laws |
|---|---|
| Description | In 1542 witchcraft became a crime. Changes to the law in the 16th century allowed witchcraft accusations to be tried in local courts and punished with death. |
| Reason | Religious changes |
|---|---|
| Description | It is believed that Protestants in the 17th century feared Catholics and the 鈥榦ld鈥 religion of Catholicism that was still practised throughout Europe. It has been argued that this fear led to them trying to cleanse society by accusing women of witchcraft. |
| Reason | The English Civil War |
|---|---|
| Description | This was a period of political upheaval, as friends and family went to war against one another. This unsettled the country and caused an increase in fear and suspicion. |
In the late 17th century, scientific knowledge and the demand for more scientific ideas increased in England. This period was called the The Enlightenment was a movement that began in the 18th century. It challenged traditional beliefs, and promoted rationality and reason. and scientists developed theories based on evidence and experimentation rather than religion and the supernatural. This increase in scientific ideas led to a decline in the accusations of witchcraft and the last recorded execution in England for witchcraft was in 1716.