Witch Hunting and Witch Trials

5W Collected and edited by C. L’Estrange Ewen. London: 1929.

Notes

Witch Hunting and Witch Trials (1929), compiled and edited by C. L’Estrange Ewen, is a seminal work in the study of early modern witchcraft persecutions in England. This meticulously researched volume presents a comprehensive collection of indictments for witchcraft drawn from the records of 1373 assizes held for the Home Circuit between 1559 and 1736. Through these legal documents, Ewen provides invaluable insights into the nature of witchcraft accusations, the legal proceedings, and the societal fears that fueled the witch hunts of the period.

The book is organized into thematic sections, including ancient laws against witchcraft, punishments for witchcraft, witnesses, confessions, and torture and ill-treatment, among others. Ewen’s scholarly approach not only preserves the historical records but also offers analysis on the rise and decline of witchcraft prosecution, shedding light on the complex interplay of legal, social, and religious factors that contributed to the witch craze in early modern England. This work remains an essential reference for historians and scholars interested in the legal and cultural dimensions of witchcraft and its persecution during this tumultuous period.

Description

Green hardcover book with gilt lettering to spine and design on upper board and spine. Original pictorial dust wrapper. Newspaper article loose within “stakes driven into corpses and cemetery.” Fold out appendix on page 230. And few green pages with images throughout. fine condition.