East Anglia - ending

Question 1

what are the 3 main factors for the craze coming to an end?

Answer 1

growing cost

re-establishment of traditional authority

role of John Gaule

Question 2

why did the witch-hunt result in growing cost?

Answer 2

cost of imprisonment - jailers suffered financially

feeding prisoners became difficult as the number of accused witches detained increased

assizes were expensive

executions expensive

fees demanded by Hopkins and Stearne

Question 3

why were town and parish authorities more reluctant to pay Hopkins and Stearne for their services in 1646 and 1647?

Answer 3

upkeep for witch-hunts that occurred alongside their work was expensive

they complained about only being paid 20 shillings for their work and the travel required, but records show the fees paid were often higher than that

Aldeburgh - total cost was over £40, which was 1/7 of entire annual budget

Question 4

what was the impact of growing cost?

Answer 4

became too high to warrant further investigations

funds still required to finance war, so witch-hunting was viewed as an unnecessary luxury

Question 4

cases that showed scepticism upon re-establishment of authority

Answer 4

1646: two trials in which more of the accused were acquitted
- Kings Lynn - 7 acquitted, 2 convicted
- Ely - 3 women acquitted

1647: Hopkins was questioned at Norfolk assizes as leading gentry became suspicious
- questions influenced by John Gaule’s book
- accused of being a witch

Question 5

how did the end of the Civil War contribute to the re-establishment of traditional authority

Answer 5

safe for assize judges to travel to East Agnlia
- more witches acquitted

Royalist gentry returned to estates in East Anglia
- Puritan-dominated pursuit of witches was disturbed by return of previous authorities

Question 6

what was the role of John Gaule?

Answer 6

published ‘Select Cases of Conscioence touching Witches and Witchcrafts’ (1646)
- criticised witchfinders

launched a campaign of preaching against witchfinders
- told audiences confessions shouldn’t be taken at face value
- evaluation of evidence should be carried out by magistrates not self-proclaimed witchfinders

Question 7

how was John Gaule’s involvement significant?

Answer 7

helped convince authorities that the witch-hunt was no longer necessary due to re-establishment of authority and growing costs