When Did Wit Witchcraft First Appear?

Early witches were individuals who practiced witchcraft, using magic spells and seeking help from spirits. They were often believed to be pagans working for the Devil. The Salem Witch Trials, which took place in 1692-1693, were a series of investigations and persecutions that led to the hanging of 19 convicted “witches” and the imprisonment of many others. The trials were influenced by older ideas popularized in the western Alps during the 1420s and ’30s.

Witchcraft can be traced back to ancient times, with depictions of witches found in various mythologies and folklore. In Europe, three women were charged with witchcraft: Sarah Good, a beggar and mother; Sarah Osborne, a woman who hadn’t attended church in some time; and Tituba, Parris’s Indian slave.

The origins of witchcraft prosecution can be traced back to Europe centuries prior, when pre-Reformation courts first induced criminals to admit to heresy and witchcraft. Witch-hunts reached a high point from 1560 to 1630, and witch-hunts were a search for people labeled witches or for evidence of witchcraft. Village healers, who shared many characteristics with witches, were often sought to heal sick children or create love potions.

The fear of witches and witchcraft originated in the medieval period when the Roman Catholic Church taught the dangers of witchcraft and printed books. In 1484, Pope Innocent VIII gave authority to the Church to find and kill witches, branding witchcraft as an exceptional crime. The 1562 and 1604 Acts transferred the trial of “witches” from the Church to ordinary courts, leading to the development of formal accusations against witches.

What year did discovery of witches start?

A Discovery of Witches is a British television series based on Deborah Harkness’s All Souls trilogy. The series, named after the first book, premiered in the UK on September 14, 2018. It was renewed for a second and third season by Sky in November 2018. The show tells a modern-day love story in a world where Witches, Vampires, and Daemons live and work alongside humans, hidden in plain sight.

When did witchcraft begin?

Witch hunts were a local phenomenon that began in the early 15th century and lasted for approximately 300 years. They were more prevalent in France than in other European countries or kingdoms, with the Holy Roman Empire including areas of present-day France and Germany being more affected. The American colonies also had a dark history, with a noticeable pause from about 1520-1560 but a sharp increase in the persecution of witches in the 16th and 17th centuries.

Before the Scientific Revolution, people looked to the Church to explain the mysteries of the earthly world. Frightening occurrences such as paralysis, sudden seizures, or a baby born ill or disfigured left people looking for an explanation and preferably someone to blame. The Church believed in the Devil and considered witches to be their willing disciples. In France, approximately 2, 000 witch trials occurred between 1550 and 1700. While some women admitted to their alleged powers, most women vehemently denied the accusations. The Church often resorted to torture to elicit confessions.

In 1486, German churchman and inquisitor Heinreich Kramer published The Witch Hammer ( Malleus Maleficarum), which became the standard medieval text on witchcraft. Other important works on the topic included Johann Weyer’s De praestigiis daemonum, which was intended as a defense of witches, and Jean Bodin’s Démonomanie des sorciers, which formed an unofficial trilogy discussing witchcraft and magic. The Library of Congress holds many editions and translations of these texts, most of them in the Law Library of Congress and the Rare Book and Special Collections Reading Room.

How were witches identified in the 17th century?

The 17th-century witch trials in America and England were complex due to the lack of formalized rules for evidence in criminal trials and the diverse opinions on supernatural proof. One strategy used to prove an accusation of witchcraft was “ducking” or “swimming” a witch. This practice involved tying the accused into a body of water to determine whether they sink or float. The practice originated in Western Europe as early as the ninth century and spread with the rise of Christianity. In the Middle Ages, it was known as the ordeal of the cold water.

The ordeal was believed to provoke God’s direct intervention in determining the accused’s guilt or innocence. The ordeal was often called judicium dei, the judgment of God, and was administered by clergy. The execution of the ordeal included liturgical formulas, blessing of elements, and the celebration of Mass. Over twenty instances are recorded in the Pipe Rolls during the Assize of Clarendon and the Assize of Northampton. The ordeal was a significant aspect of the witch trials and their impact on the legal system.

When was the first documented witch trial?

Witch-hunts were prevalent in early modern Europe, with central and southern Germany being the most significant area. Germany was a late starter in witch trials, with the peak years occurring from 1561 to 1670. The first major persecution of witches occurred in Wiesensteig, southwestern Germany, in 1563. These witch-hunts spread across Europe, with learned European ideas about witchcraft and demonological ideas strongly influencing the North. Economic pressure also played a significant role in these witch-hunts, as seen in regions like Bavaria and Scotland.

In Denmark, the burning of witches increased following the reformation of 1536, with Christian IV of Denmark encouraging this practice. In Finnmark, northern Norway, severe witchcraft trials took place between 1600-1692. The Witchcraft Act 1541 in England regulated penalties for witchcraft. In Scotland, over 70 people were accused of witchcraft due to bad weather when James VI of Scotland visited Denmark in 1590.

James VI personally presided over the torture and execution of Doctor Fian, and published a witch-hunting manual, Daemonologie, which contained the famous dictum: “Experience daily proves how loath they are to confess without torture”.

The Pendle witch trials of 1612 became the most famous witch trials in English history. In England, witch-hunting reached its apex in 1644 to 1647 due to Puritan Matthew Hopkins’ efforts. Hopkins charged towns hefty fees during the English Civil War and had 300 convictions and deaths attributed to his work. His book, The Discovery of Witches, became an influential legal text, and it was used in the American colonies as early as May 1647, when Margaret Jones was executed for witchcraft in Massachusetts.

Where do witches originate in Europe?

Thessaly, a region known for witches, was a significant part of ancient Roman society. Legends of witches, drugs, poisons, and magical spells persisted throughout the Roman period. During the pagan era, laws against harmful magic were established, such as the 5th century BC laws of the Twelve Tables, which laid down penalties for uttering harmful incantations and stealing someone else’s crops by magic. The only recorded trial involving this law was that of Gaius Furius Chresimus in 191 BC.

The Classical Latin word veneficium meant both poisoning and causing harm by magic (such as magic potions), although ancient people would not have distinguished between the two. In 331 BC, a deadly epidemic hit Rome, with at least 170 women executed for causing it by veneficium. However, some individuals were tested and killed by being made to drink their own medical potions, indicating the charge was straightforward poisoning.

Under the Lex Cornelia de sicariis et veneficis (“Cornelian law against assassins and poisoners”) of 81 BC, killing by veneficium carried the death penalty. During the early Imperial era, the Lex Cornelia began to be used more broadly against other kinds of magic, including making love potions, enacting rites to enchant, bind or restrain, possession of books containing magical recipes, and the “arts of magic” in general.

Sacrifices made for evil purposes could be punished under the Lex Cornelia, as well as giving potions to induce an abortion or to induce love. Magicians were to be burnt at the stake.

What is Ashmole 782?

Ashmole 782, also known as the Book of Life, is an enchanted manuscript discovered by Diana Bishop while researching in the Bodleian Library at Oxford University. It is believed to be a book of origins for supernatural creatures and is coveted by witches, vampires, and daemons. The manuscript was collected by Elias Ashmole, a bibliophile and alchemist, and is said to contain significant clues about the past and future.

Diana decides to send the enchanted document back into the library, and it attracts the attention of witches, vampires, and daemons, who believe it contains significant clues about the past and future. Each creature seeks Ashmole 782 and learns how Diana Bishop retrieves the evasive volume.

When was the first witchcraft act?

The Witchcraft Act, passed in 1542, defined witchcraft as a crime punishable by death. It was repealed in 1562 but restored in 1562. A new law was passed in 1604 during James I’s reign, transferring witch trials from the Church to ordinary courts. Witch-hunting reached its peak in the late 16th century, particularly in south-east England, where 513 witches were put on trial between 1560 and 1700, with only 112 executed. The last known execution took place in Devon in 1685.

Who was the first witch in the Bible?

The Witch of Endor, a Hebrew figure from around 1020 B. C. E., was known for her unusual power, possessing a talisman to summon the dead. At King Saul’s request, she summoned the ghost of the deceased prophet Samuel, despite the king’s prohibition of necromancy and magic. The prophet’s spirit predicted Saul’s ruination, and her taboo power has been depicted in art, literature, and popular culture, making her a potent figure in biblical history.

Who was the first person accused of witchcraft?

Tituba, a Native South American female slave owned by Parris, was the first to be accused of witchcraft by Betty and Abigail. She was also the first to confess and accuse others, first naming Sarah Good and Sarah Osborne. The Parris Household, which included the Putnams and other “afflicted” girls, was led by Pastor Samuel Parris, who preached about the work of the Devil. Elizabeth “Betty” Parris and Abigail Williams, the first of the “afflicted” girls, began experiencing unexplained fits in January 1692 after experimenting with fortune-telling and were diagnosed as being possessed.

They remained the main accusers throughout the trials. Tituba was the first to tell elaborate stories about rituals and animal familiars, leading to further accusations. Parris refused to pay her jailing costs, so she spent thirteen months in jail before someone else paid for her. Her fate after being released is unknown.

Is Ashmole 782 a real book?

Ashmole 782, the enigmatic manuscript that inspired the All Souls Trilogy, exists outside of Harkness’ fictional world. It was donated to the Bodleian Library at Oxford University in 1858 as part of Elias Ashmole’s extensive collection. The manuscript, designated “Object 782”, describes a short description of Man in two parts: the first Anatomical and the second Psychological. Harkness, a professor of history at USC Dornsife, breathes life into the manuscript by filling in gaps in the historical record through the magic of fiction.

In the series, Ashmole 782 plays a central role, imagining the magic it may contain. Set in the present day, the manuscript brings together researchers Diana Bishop and Matthew Clairmont in the majestic, gothic Bodleian Library, and the manuscript is the main impetus behind their adventures.

Who was the first to confess to witchcraft?

In a confession made during the Salem witch trials, Tituba, the first to admit to witchcraft, expressed remorse for harming Betty. She asserted that she had never intended to cause her any harm and revealed her affection for the child.