The History and Definition of Witchcraft
The History and Definition of Witchcraft
In England and New England in the 17th century, it was believed that an evil witch made a pact with the devil that involved the exchange of her soul for powers with which she could torture other mortals, which brings about the beginning of witchcraft. Those who practiced witchcraft were rarely the people being executed for it and according to Al Pugh, “In early modern tradition, witches were stereotypically women” (Pugh 1). It was also believed that these women would reject Jesus and the holy sacraments and instead take part in the “Witch’s Sabbath” and by paying their honors to a “prince of darkness” they would become evil, receiving preternatural powers. In some folklore from this time period it is said that the “devil’s mark” would then appear on the witch’s skin like a brand of some sort, to signify that this evil pact had been made (Bollard 2). Those thought to be witches or were even just accused of being one were treated very harsh and cruelly, and were typically put under some kind of awful and extreme torture in order to gain a confession of their craft and possibly other witches that resided in the village. The most common forms of torture used on these women were “thumb irons” and “leg screws”, which generally resulted in some form of confession, usually false. As some were tortured, others may have been immediately put to death, whether they be burned or hung. Because of so many women being accused of witchcraft, there were soon ways of “testing” if a woman was a witch or not. Usually poorly thought out and extremely mindless these “tests” included testing the ability of the woman to swim, in which their hands were tied to their feet and they were thrown into a river where if the accused witch floated she was a witch and if she sank she was innocent, either way the test ended with death. Another test was a literal test of faith to God and the accused witch would be made to recite the “Lord’s Prayer” without
In England and New England in the 17th century, it was believed that an evil witch made a pact with the devil that involved the exchange of her soul for powers with which she could torture other mortals, which brings about the beginning of witchcraft. Those who practiced witchcraft were rarely the people being executed for it and according to Al Pugh, “In early modern tradition, witches were stereotypically women” (Pugh 1). It was also believed that these women would reject Jesus and the holy sacraments and instead take part in the “Witch’s Sabbath” and by paying their honors to a “prince of darkness” they would become evil, receiving preternatural powers. In some folklore from this time period it is said that the “devil’s mark” would then appear on the witch’s skin like a brand of some sort, to signify that this evil pact had been made (Bollard 2). Those thought to be witches or were even just accused of being one were treated very harsh and cruelly, and were typically put under some kind of awful and extreme torture in order to gain a confession of their craft and possibly other witches that resided in the village. The most common forms of torture used on these women were “thumb irons” and “leg screws”, which generally resulted in some form of confession, usually false. As some were tortured, others may have been immediately put to death, whether they be burned or hung. Because of so many women being accused of witchcraft, there were soon ways of “testing” if a woman was a witch or not. Usually poorly thought out and extremely mindless these “tests” included testing the ability of the woman to swim, in which their hands were tied to their feet and they were thrown into a river where if the accused witch floated she was a witch and if she sank she was innocent, either way the test ended with death. Another test was a literal test of faith to God and the accused witch would be made to recite the “Lord’s Prayer” without