Page 86 - All About History - Issue 08-14

Witch
-

hunting

The witch-hunters of early modern

Europe and America saw thousands

tortured and sentenced to death, but
what was a witch-hunt and why did

this notorious practice happen?

Written by Ben Biggs

magine for a few minutes you’re a peasant in your neighbour, whom you’ve known for many
17th-century Europe: a widow who lives in the years, has reported you to the church authorities
small abode your husband left in his will. You for turning her cow’s milk sour. She and her
tend a small plot of land on which you grow farmer husband have accused you of bringing
I a number of root vegetables as well as a few the unseasonable wet weather that caused their
herbs that have traditional medicinal properties. harvest to fail and stirring carnal desires in their
You’re a God-fearing woman who attends church two maiden daughters, with love potions made
as regularly as your old bones allow and you from your herbs. You have no need for a lawyer
believe in the devil even if you don’t put much or representation of any kind in this court, you’re
stock in the stories of witches who attend to Satan told, as witchcraft is deemed to be an exceptional
in the woods at night, smearing their backs with crime in which God will defend the innocent.
‘devil’s ointment’ and putting hexes on livestock. Of course, you deny being a witch and all
Recently you’ve seen people from your wrongdoing. It’s absurd, you say, you’ve never
community being led away by the bishop’s men seen eye to eye with your neighbours, who might
to the courthouse, accused of paganism, if the just be mean enough to accuse you of witchcraft
gossip is to be believed. You don’t think you have to get rid of you. Your denial is noted but the
anything to fear. That is, until armed men garbed court considers witchcraft an extremely serious
in the bishop’s colours turn up at your house one crime, so offers you clemency in return for a
morning to take you away. You comply without full confession. You stand firm and deny the
so much as a word of verbal resistance; it’s all a charges, so are taken below to the cells for further
mistake, of course. This will soon be cleared up, questioning. Here, an appointed magistrate has
you think, as you’re taken through the village’s you stripped and searched for magical charms
main thoroughfare, past the houses of friends and concealed on your body. Your thumb is placed in
neighbours who peer suspiciously at you from a vice-like device and pressure applied as, once
their houses. You feel embarrassed at first but again, you’re asked if you will confess to being a
then remember assuming that the miller’s wife, witch. You survive this first day of questioning
who had been taken away in this manner too, was without buckling under excruciating pain, only to
found guilty of witchcraft. That’s when you start to fall foul of the torturer’s rack. As the lever turns
feel afraid. and your limbs splay, then pop, your eyes roll in
The courthouse room is presided over by three agony – a sure sign that you seek Satan’s aid. A
judges with a clerk who takes the proceedings. confession is ultimately extricated and you’re sent
Your name is added to the record before the on a cart along with five other witches to a pyre
accusations against you are laid out by the court: the very next day, where you burn to death.
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