Bubbling cauldrons, flying broomsticks, tall black hats... Yep, witches! But what's the real story behind these Halloween favourites?
The idea of witches – women thought to have magic powers – is found across cultures worldwide. The 16th and 17th centuries are remembered especially for the witch-hunting craze that swept across Europe and North America. Tens of thousands were executed, with many more imprisoned, tortured, or banished.
GROWING HYSTERIA
In the UK , the Witchcraft Act of 1542 defi ned the practice as a crime. King James I had a reputation of being a committed witch-hunter. While travelling back to Scotland from Denmark with his new wife, he got caught in a terrible storm and claimed a witch must have tried to sabotage their journey to murder him and his queen.
He even wrote a book about the importance of hunting out witches and appointed a ‘witchfi nder general’. Hysteria, accusations, and scapegoating (being blamed for others’ misfortune) quickly spread.
HOW DO YOU KNOW IF SOMEONE’S A WITCH?
The Dutch town of Oudewater sold certifi cates to suspected witches to prove their innocence. These confi rmed suspects were heavier than air (according to the town scales) and as a result were unable to fl y and less likely to be a witch.
Women travelled long distances to purchase these, since the usual test of whether a person was a witch was to throw her in deep water to see if she would sink. If she did, she was innocent, but many drowned during the test (a few ‘lucky’ ones were hauled up by a rope tied around them). If she didn’t sink, however, she was considered a witch and put to death. A lose-lose situation!
WHY THE BELIEF IN WITCHES?
Five hundred years ago, there was much less scientific knowledge. People simply didn’t have explanations for sudden or unexpected ill-fortune. Similarly, people who displayed any sort of unusual behaviour (even just preferring their own company!) might have been accused of witchcraft. Today, there is far more tolerance of individual lifestyle choices, as well as a greater understanding of the diff erent ways people perceive the world. Without that recognition at the time, however, witchcraft seemed a reasonable explanation.
Religious beliefs of the period also played a role. Traditional folk medicine became regarded as sorcery and associated with the Devil. Gender inequality of the time probably contributed too. There were male witches, but most of those accused were older women. This is because they were regarded as the ‘weaker sex’ by those in power.
But poverty was also a factor. Life was very hard at the time and centred around food. In times of famine, if a harvest failed or animals died, it was a matter of life and death and people looked for reasons.
Sadly, older, poor women, who were driven to beg for food and charity from their neighbours, often found themselves at odds with their communities.
WHAT MAKES A WITCH?
It’s thought many allegations stemmed from jealousy, resentment, or personal disputes – for example cursing a neighbour after an argument or confl ict. And just imagine living in those times –it’s possible some people accused others before they could be blamed themselves or did it to reinforce their own power and position.
WHAT DO THE TRIALS TELL US?
Unfortunately, witch hunts aren’t confi ned to the history books. Around the world, people have been executed for practising witchcraft as recently as 2014, and belief in witches is still prevalent in some countries.
Over the centuries there have been thousands of victims of witch hunts. They show us how easy it is for vulnerable groups to be persecuted and highlight the human tendencies to distrust those who are diff erent and blame others for their own fears or misfortunes.
And the fact some powerful women today still get called ‘witches’ suggests that there’s still work to be done before gender equality is reached. The witch trials are a fascinating period of history, and this has only been a brief summary. Fictional witches (for example, in The Worst Witch, Harry Potter, The Witches, and Sabrina) also remain popular. If you’re interested in fi nding out more, ask your local librarian or bookseller for recommended titles.
FAMOUS WITCH TRIALS
PENDLE, LANCASHIRE, UK, 1612
The Pendle witch trials are famous because the evidence came from Jennet Device – just nine years old. Jennet’s older sister, Alizon, had asked a pedlar (travelling salesperson) for some pins and then cursed him when he refused. Soon after, he stumbled and fell, and Alizon was accused of witchcraft. In turn, she blamed her neighbours (who the family had an ongoing feud with), and they threw the accusation back to her family. Jennet was asked to provide evidence in court and denounced the lot as witches.
Her family and neighbours were found guilty and sentenced to death. After Jennet’s testimony, evidence from children could then be used in future witch trials – which hadn’t previously been allowed.
SALEM, MASSACHUSETTS, USA, 1692–93
In 1692 a group of young girls in the village began to experience fi ts, contortions, and uncontrollable outbursts of screaming. A doctor diagnosed bewitchment and the girls accused several local women of witchcraft. As others began to experience similar symptoms, a wave of hysteria spread, allegations soared, and the trials threatened to overwhelm the justice system. Nineteen people were put to death and a further seven died in jail.
Some historians now think the salesman in Pendle likely suff ered a stroke, and the symptoms displayed by the girls in Salem (epileptic fits and contortions) could have been a result of eating poisonous fungi. However, without such knowledge at the time, a witch’s curse didn’t seem all that far-fetched, and the results went down in history: the Pendle witch trials of 1612 are among the most famous witch trials in English history, and the Salem witch trials in Massachusetts inspired many books and movies to be made. (Sabrina’s cat is even called Salem!)
