Why Was Witchcraft Regarded As Illegal?

In the early modern period, Europeans conflated witchcraft with Satanism and engaged in extensive criminal prosecution for it, leading to later references to a “great witch”. The Witchcraft Acts were a historical succession of governing laws in England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, and the British colonies on penalties for the practice. Witchcraft was initially dealt with in local church courts but changed in 1563 with the Scottish Witchcraft Act becoming law. In 1542, the Witchcraft Act made it a criminal offense, and between 1645 and 1647, approximately 250 accusations of witchcraft came before authorities in East Anglia.

The law as applied to witchcraft has often been viewed as a system of repression because it was considered a religious crime and many courts established witchcraft as a crime punishable by death. Between the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, prosecutions and executions for the crime of witchcraft declined in number and eventually came to an end.

In Western demonologies, heresy and its intrinsic treason against God were understood as a form of heresy. The Salem witch trials began in 1692 when a group of young girls claimed to be possessed by the devil. In England and New England, the crime of witchcraft was written from the use of the Old Testament and considered a felony, punishable by death. In 1542, Parliament passed the Witchcraft Act, which defined witchcraft as a crime punishable by death.

Witchcraft is a term usually applied to harm brought upon others through the use of supernatural or occult powers. Labelling women with mental health issues as witches in large parts of the country points to failures of society and abdications of law.

What were witches blamed for?

Witchcraft investigations faced a significant challenge in proving the accused’s guilt. Allegations often blamed the accused for natural events, but proving that this was the fault of a witch was challenging. In England, torture was illegal under English law, and accused witches were sometimes subjected to ordeals like “swimming” to prove guilt or innocence. However, English witch beliefs provided physical evidence through the belief in “familiars”, demons who helped the witch with her sorcery.

These demons took the form of common animals and fed on the witch’s blood, leaving tell-tale marks that were considered physical evidence of witchcraft. Surgeons and midwives were looking for these marks in the inspection certificate. Margaret Johnson, one of the accused women, claimed to have familiars, who visited her as various animals and sucked her blood. This evidence was crucial in witchcraft investigations and trials.

What is the crime and punishment of witchcraft?

In 1542, witchcraft was made a crime in England, leading to changes in the 16th century law that allowed for local courts to try witchcraft accusations and punish with death. This was due to Protestants fearing Catholicism and the “old” religion. The early modern period saw the greatest political upheaval in England, with a war between the Royalists and Parliament over the king’s and government power. Charles I was executed, leading to increased insecurity and distrust within communities.

The Witchcraft Act made it a criminal offence in 1542, and between 1645 and 1647, around 250 accusations of witchcraft were made in East Anglia, resulting in a “witch hunt”. At least 100 people were executed for witchcraft in East Anglia between 1645 and 1647, totaling about 1, 000 people executed between 1542 and 1736.

Why was witchcraft considered an act of treason?

Witchcraft was considered a treasonous act against God, as decreed by King James I of England, due to its perceived affront to the divine.

What is witchcraft called in India?

Witchcraft in Indian films and literature is deeply rooted in Vedic Hindu religion, with Tantra Sadhna, a pre-Vedic tradition, often associated with women. Tantriks and Tantrikas, followers of Tantra, are often dubbed as “witches”. In a video, an elderly woman is seen blackened and a shoe garland around her neck, forced to run in front of a deity’s chariot. Villagers play traditional instruments and chant the deity’s name, calling her a tantric and cursing her.

She is alleged to worship “Mashaan” and pleading for mercy. In her village, a temple with no permanent priest has been exploited, leading to some people acting as agents of the deity and branding the elderly woman as a “Dayan” and instigating the villagers.

Who was accused for witchcraft?

In 1692, Sarah Cole (II) Lynn, Elizabeth Colson, Glens Corey, and Martha Corey were accused of witchcraft in their respective towns. Each woman was accused of witchcraft in her own town and reading.

When was witchcraft illegal?

The Witchcraft Act of 1604, also known as “An Act against Conjuration, Witchcraft and Dealing with Evil and Wicked Spirits,” expanded the 1562 Act, imposing the death penalty without clergy benefit for those who invoked evil spirits or communed with familiar spirits.

What was the punishment for witchcraft?

The Old Testament’s Exodus states that “Thou shalt not permit a sorceress to live”, and many faced capital punishment for witchcraft. From 1400 to 1775, around 100, 000 people were prosecuted for witchcraft in Europe and British America, with between 40, 000 and 60, 000 executed, mostly in Europe. Witch-hunts were particularly severe in parts of the Holy Roman Empire. Prosecutions reached a high point from 1560 to 1630, during the Counter-Reformation and European wars of religion.

During the medieval era, mainstream Christian doctrine denied the belief in witches and witchcraft, condemning it as a pagan superstition. Some argue that the work of Dominican Thomas Aquinas in the 13th century helped lay the groundwork for a shift in Christian doctrine, where certain theologians began to accept the possibility of collaboration with devil(s) and obtaining supernatural powers.

Christians were not of the belief that magic in its entirety is demonic, as members of the clergy practiced crafts such as necromancy. However, witchcraft was still assumed as inherently demonic, leading to backlash due to the collective negative image. A branch of the inquisition in southern France was involved in investigating witches.

How did witchcraft become a crime?

In Scotland, the practice of witchcraft was initially regarded as a matter of religious concern, with accusations adjudicated in local ecclesiastical courts. Nevertheless, in 1563, the Scottish Witchcraft Act was enacted, establishing witchcraft as a capital crime. This resulted in the prosecution of more serious cases of witchcraft at the state level in Scotland. A commemorative plaque has been erected in Forres, Moray, to honour the women who were killed for witchcraft.

Why were children accused of witchcraft?

In the 17th century, many children were punished for alleged witchcraft, often due to their participation in Sabbats. It was believed that witches’ children inherited witchcraft from their parents, leading to charges against entire families. Accused witches often claimed they learned witchcraft from their parents. Pierre de Lancre and Francesco Maria Guazzo believed that having accused parents introduced children to Satan, Sabbats, married them to demons, or inspired them to have sex with Satan.

Many accused children became aggressive and threatened community members, reinforcing community beliefs that they were witches. The 16th century saw more child involvement in witchcraft hunts and accusations, leading to the persecution of children themselves as witches. Children admitted to witchcraft, accusing teachers and mentors, leading to children being accused themselves by the 17th century.

What is the sin of witchcraft in the Bible?

Exodus 22:18, Leviticus 19:26, Leviticus 20:27, and Deuteronomy 18:10-11 all prohibit the practice of necromancy, divination, and soothsaying. These laws are portrayed as foreign and are the only part of the Hebrew Bible to mention such practices. The presence of laws forbidding necromancy proves that it was practiced throughout Israel’s history.

The exact difference between the three forbidden forms of necromancy mentioned in Deuteronomy 18:11 is uncertain, as yidde’oni (“wizard”) is always used together with ob (“consulter with familiar spirits”) and its semantic similarity to doresh el ha-metim (“necromancer” or “one who directs inquiries to the dead”) raises the question of why all three are mentioned in the same verse. The Jewish tractate Sanhedrin distinguishes between a doresh el ha-metim, a person who would sleep in a cemetery after starving himself, to become possessed, and a yidde’oni, a wizard.

In summary, the prohibition of necromancy in the Hebrew Bible is a significant aspect of Jewish history.

Why were people convicted of witchcraft?

Witchcraft in early modern England was a complex phenomenon that caused fear and became a normal part of life. Newcomers to a community might be accused of witchcraft due to suspicion from their neighbors, or it could be a way to make money. The harvest failed, leading to increased suspicion. Witchcraft trials became a platform for grievances and disputes to be discussed, and people could testify for or against their neighbors.

Understanding the history of witchcraft provides insights into the realities of everyday life for ordinary people in early modern England, rather than the supernatural. Dr. Jessica Nelson, Head of Collections at The National Archives, delivered a 30-minute talk on the topic.