Paper 3 details

When did James I change the law so commission could be given by the Privy Council?

1596

When were law changes made in Denmark so that those put on trial for witchcraft had more protection?

1547 and 1570

What conditions made the 1597 hunt more likely?

Poor harvest, widespread disease and plague

What did Agnes Sampson say in her confession that likely further sparked interest from James

That the devil told her that the king and all of Scotland would be destroyed

3 examples of the involvement of James and Bothwell in the trials

1. It was under his order that John Fian was recaptured and tortured more enthusiastically

2. In 1795 3 witches were taken from Cathiness to Edingbrough for fraternising with the Earl of Bothwell

3. In 1796 James appeared in person at the trial of Christian Stewart

Example of the use of torture in the spread of hunts in Scotland

The case of Alison Balfour, she was executed based on a confession obtained under torture that had not been permitted by the Privy Council

In what way did Increase Mather perpetuate the Salem witch trials?

He delivered many sermons in support of the trials

What did Increase Mather write which contributed to the ending of the Salem witch Hunts and when?

September 1692 - Cases of Conscience Concerning Evil Spirits Persecuting Men”

What did the work of Increase Mather argue and what was the impact of this?

1. It was deeply sceptical of spectral evidence

2. It argued that real cases of witchcraft were rare

Due to his wide following of Puritans, they began to heed his warnings

In what way did Governor Phips perpetuate the Salem witch trials?

He appointed William Stoughton as the head judge, who took the leading role in ensuring that spectral evidence was heard

In what way did Governor Phips contribute to the ending of the Salem witch trials

1. He shut down the court of Oyer and Terminer at the end of September 1792 and released those who were still under investigation

2. He urged William Stroughton not to accept spectral evidence in the New Superior Court of Judicature

3. He pardoned the only 3 found guilty by the court and played an important role in organising defence for the others tried so they wouldn’t be found guilty

When did Cotton Mather publish his influential work and what was it called?

1689 - “Memorable Providences Relating to Witchcraft and Possessions”

Example of Puritan influences having a role in who was accused

Bridgit Bishop was disapproved of for her clothes and her owning of an Inn

Example of a feud with one of the influential families impacting who was accused

Victim George Burrow hasn’t repaid a loan he had taken out from the Putnhams

How were two of the other girls who have key evidence connected to Ann Putnham?

Mary Wallcot was Ann Putnham’s step-sister

Mary Lewis had made friend with Ann Putnham and Mary Lewis when she was sent to their house

When was the first Indian War and how did it impact Salem?

• 1675-78

• It killed 1 in 10 military aged men

• It ruined the economy

What percentage of men left East Anglia to fight?

20%

Example of impact of royalist-parliamentarian divisions

Royalist Clergyman John Lowes was swum and interrogated for saying he was as much of a witch as Ann Annson

Example of inexperienced individual being left in charge in the absence of assize courts and the impact of it

• The Earl of Warwick was left in charge in Essex

• he se

What evidence is there that physical intimidation and torture took place

The confessions of the Suffolk witches

How many were executed in the East Anglican witch craze and how did this compare to previous figures for Britain?

• 400

• X2 the amount that had been executed in Britain previously

By how much much did the price of Wheat rise in 1646 and how was this seen by locals?

• 20%

• 1645 and 1646 saw the worst weather in living memory and this was seen as a sign from god

Statistics which show how poor women were more likely to be targeted in East Anglia

• 80% of victims in Suffolk were women, the 20% who were men were mostly associated with female witches

• 94% of victims in Ely only left their mark on record of the proceedings, the accusers were more likely to be literate than the accused

Example which demonstrates the impact of changing land use in East Anglia

Many of the Ely witches were associated with an earlier conflict over enclosure in which 30 families were evicted

Example which shows that records of Catholicism in Pendle were unremarkable

2 Catholics were found to be living in the house of Henry Stranden, but when they we

What evidence directly links the events in Pendle to the 1605 gunpowder plot

Thomas Potts credited his work to Thomas Kryvet who had been credited with apprehending Guy Fawkes in the cellar of the Houses of Parliament

How many people did the evidence of Jennet Device lead to the execution of?

10

What shows the importance of economic instability in Pendle

• Both Chattox and Demdike were accused of killing cattle

• Cattle were high valuable, selling for £3 at market

What suggests that there were other motives behind clamping down on the meeting at Malkin tower, and what rise in the numbers detained did it lead to?

• The intentions of the meeting that were decided on, namely, blowing up Lancaster Castle and killing the Gaoler, were so unrealistic

• It lead to the numbers detained rising from 4 to 11

What suggests that other factors must have been significant in leading to the accusations between the families to blow up?

The feud could be traced back to an accusation of theft in 1601

Three pieces of evidence for Bromley’s ulterior motives

1. Bromley was looking to be promoted to a circuit nearer London

2. Bromley edited Pott’s account before it was published in 1613

3. Both judges accepted dubious evidence and the deffendants were not allowed