BP2: Geography, numbers, class and gender of victims; the roles and methods of Matthew Hopkins and John Stearne and the reasons for their influence and power

How many accused were women?

around 80%

How many faced trial between 1645-47, and how many were ultimately killed?

700, 300-400

When did Hopkins first become concerned about witches?

1644, when he was kept awake by what he claimed were meetings of witches near his house

When did Hopkins and Stearne first present their accusations to a local magistrate?

March 1645, to magistrate Harbottle Grimston

Who was the first woman to be accused in Manningtree?

• Elizabeth Clark

• one leg - long-suspected witch

• found 3 teats

• watched overnight

• named Rebecca West

What did Rebecca West do?

Admitted to suckling imps, turned witness for the crown and gained immunity from prosecution, was published in a pamphlet (name is a line and a half long)

In the July trials at Chelmsford how many witches were found guilty?

20, incl. Elizabeth Clark

How many were examined in Suffolk?

120

John Lowes?

• Royalist clergyman who antagonised his parishioners

• Defended a previous accused witch, claimed she was as much or a witch as he was - ppl took this for a confession

• subjected to swimming test

• confessed

How many women were tried at the 1645 Norfolk assizes?

40

How many women were tried at Huntingdonshire in 1646?

8

A key setback in Hopkins and Stearne’s business?

The presence of John Gaule, who objected to their actions in his community

Hopkins, spring of 1647?

Attended the Norfolk assizes and was subjected to hostile questioning about his activities by officials who had become suspicious

When was ‘The Discovery of Witches’ published?

May 1647

Geographical pattern for their investigations?

There is no clear geographical pattern and it appears they simply follow the money that was available to them in communities that already harboured resentment and suspicion.

How many accused in Suffolk were men?

around 20%, however most were already linked to a female accused witch

What was Hopkins particularly interested in?

Finding evidence of sexual activity with the Devil, and the suckling of imps - actions more likely to be associated with women.

• Margaret Baytes and Good Smith included in their confessions that they fed imps from teats

What % of accused witches were charged with harming or killing children?

20%

Example of a witch accused of killing family?

Susanna Stegold found guilty of killing her husband (go girl!) due to an unhappy marriage, which almost certainly involved domestic violence against her.

Literacy figures among those involved?

It is likely that around 94% of victims were illiterate, and so were many of the searchers - suggesting they were neighbours, witnesses are more likely to be literate

How did Hopkins and Stearne make money?

• the parishes paid both men

• parishes also paid search-women and watchers

Witchfinder’s methods?

• isolate the subject

• inspect for witches mark

• sleep deprivation, intimidation and physical violence, walking

• (possibly) swimming test

Evidence of physical violence from Hopkins?

A woman from Wattisham said she received forehead injuries when an imp hurled her out of her chair, she was possibly hallucinating due to sleep deprivation

Why did the swimming test have an air of legitimacy?

Was approved by James in ‘Daemonologie’ (1597)

Hopkins’ upbringing?

• father was a Puritan minister in Suffolk, raising his children in the image of godliness

Why was Hopkins the ‘ideal’ person to investigate witchcraft in Manningtree specifically?

He was an outsider and could make ‘neutral’ judgements on suspected witches

What type of official backing did the pair have?

In such dangerous times, they most likely had letters of safe passage from a high power

Why is it likely that Hopkins gained so much influence?

Right place at the right time, young man, a Puritan w/ an enthusiasm for tackling evil who presented himself as a savior in a time of economic and political crisis.

Stearne?

• Puritan

• First to gain a warrant from Manningtree magistrates

• passionate about witch-hunting - wanted to use swimming test on Elizabeth Clark

Possible reasons for the craze?

• Poor weather and inflation combined with the civil war left people wanting a scapegoat

• breakdown of traditional authority

What helped the craze become as widespread as it did and why?

The breakdown of the traditional legal system

• because the assizes were closed (due to war) it meant non-professionals could wield atypical amounts of power over trials

What suggests that Hopkins’ personal role was great?

John Gaule singled him out for blame