Witch trials during elizabethan era

Lesser crimes relating to witchcraft resulted in the convicted witch being pilloried. Torture was not allowed as part of the investigatory or punishment procedure for witches.

As the Witchcraft Law did not define sorcery as heresy the matter of religion was not involved in the prosecution of witches. The attitude of Queen Elizabeth was certainly more lenient than those of her neighbours in France and Spain.

Her mother, Anne Boleyn had been accused of being a witch Anne Boleyn had a sixth finger growing from her fifth small finger. Anne also had a prominent mole on her neck - these deformities were seen by her enemies as a sure sign that Anne Boleyn was a witch. Queen Elizabeth was known to consult John Dee and she also showed an interest in Astrology.

Perhaps these explain her leniency towards witches. Their knowledge of the healing properties of various plants and herbs were often passed down through the generations. Their role was to provide help for people in need. The White witches were clearly distinguished from the 'Black' witches. The 'Black' witches were seen as those who practised the secret arts in order to do physical or practical harm to others. This distinction between 'White' and 'Black' witches was lost during the hysteria of the era of the Renaissance witch hunts.

Elizabethan Witch Trials The following information provides details and facts about witch trials which took place in the county of Essex during the Elizabethan era. The accused were tried for maleficium, the use of diabolical power to cause harm, not for heresy. Most of the accused confessed to the charges although torture was not allowed as part of the investigatory or punishment procedure for witches.

The first witch trial to appear in a secular court in England resulting in a series of witch trials in Chelmsford, Essex. The prosecution of women as the main victims of witch hunts are further explained in details of the trials and those prosecuted The First of the Chelmsford 'witches' was the decrepit Elizabeth Frances. Elizabeth Frances confessed to using a familiar cat called Sathan in order to harm various people. The cat was given to Agnes Waterhouse and her daughter Joan Waterhouse.

Elizabeth Frances was sentenced to one year in prison but poor Agnes Waterhouse was hung. Her daughter, Joan, was found not guilty The Second Chelmsford Witch trial of once again brought the unfortunate old Elizabeth Frances to answer accusations of witchcraft, along with several other women ' They were found guilty and hanged The third Chelmsford Witch trial of saw the hanging of Joan Prentice, Joan Upney and Joan Cunny for using familiars In Alice Chaundler of Maldon was accused of bewitching Mary Cowper of Maldon, aged eight years, and he father Francis, a fletcher, to death; of bewitching to death Robert Briscoe aged 30 years , his son aged two years, and daughter aged five years.

Alice Chaundler was found guilty and hanged. Five years later her daughter Ellen Smythe of Maldon was accused at the Assizes of bewitching Susan Webbe, aged four years, who became ill and then died. Ellen Smythe was found guilty and was hung. Timeline of Elizabethan Witchcraft and Witches The Renaissance period brought about the following events which culminated in Witchcraft Acts and Laws being passed in England. Is it not sad that mankind stooped to such idiotic believe.

Faith of Rome brought in this crime against humanity when two monks wrote a book telling of marks of the devil all hell ran through Europe and England slaughtering human scarified.

The only Devil that exits is mankind as nothing ever was mentioned of nay devil until Paul invented him and Jesus. The Church of Rome bankers to Mafia friend to Hitler is our enemy and has now returned to effect our children with sex crimes against them. It had ruled history and made us all suffer. Witchcraft and the Bloody trials against innocents is right up Romes street nothing like evil is there to these who run a religious house based on an apple as original sin.

Time to wake up and smell the coffee and burn the new testament to keep you warm. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Other notable cases were as follows: Royston in Hertfordshire, Joanna Harrison was found to have in her possession the bones of a man and a woman. Her property was searched after she made a man ill simply by looking at him. He went to London, concealed himself in a cellar, and was there found by a watchman, who arrested him for being in an unoccupied house with felonious intent. Notify me of new comments via email. Notify me of new posts via email. June 30, June 30, Krista Kesselring.

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