east Anglia

dates

1645-1646

Main Villans

Hopkins and Searne

how did the economic aspect of the civil war impact the cause of these trials

• Inflation: livestock prices up by 12% and grain by 15%

• New tax in 1643 is 12x higher than ship money and creates poverty

• creates need for scapegoat eg Margaret moorne

• Charity goes down because Puritans say idleness is sinful and apparently homelessness is idle

• meat and cheese raises by 20%

How else did the civil war cause these hunts?

• Lack of traditional authority and legal frameworks

• assize circuits unable to function during dangerous war. Local magistrates left to justice

• fear of catholic/royalist spies translated to a fear of witches

Gender statistics

of the 700 accused, 80% were women.

gender historian

Louise Jackson states that the stereotype of a witch was the opposite of a good and godly woman, particularly in the roles of wife and mother. states that the confessions of these women portray a personal judgement. Judging themselves as wives and mothers, confessing to their failure to live up to others’ expectations.

class?

• sporadic information due to war but presumably lower class due to gentry fleeing

geographical pattern?

None, they just followed money.

what ended the hunt?

• costs of witch imprisonment, execution and hunting fees

• re-establishment of traditional authority after civil war.

examples of how costs ended this hunt?

• witches at ipswich cost £50 to keep imprisoned

• Witchfinding fee £23

• judges and executions expensive, a Bury judge charged £130

how did the reestablishment of authority end the hunt?

• royalist gentry return and estates punish tenants involved in the war. Puritanism loses its grip

• acquittals much more likely as east anglia was stable enough for assize circuits. 1646 in Ely all are acquitted.

who questions hopkins?

John Gaule