Reasons for the persecution

Question 1

What were some reasons leading to persecution ?

Answer 1

Civil war made a tense atmosphere and people sought to blame others for their failures

Assize courts interrupted by the war ( ran by experienced judges )

local administration more concerned with keeping the war effort

People like Hopkins and Stearne took over cases with little accountability

Preaching puritan ministers and parliament propaganda stressed threat of the devil - EA was an area where people were quick to denounce people

Easy for communities to spread rumors of WC about those on the edge of villages

Question 2

Who were the accused ?

Answer 2

Mostly women - 90% in essex were women

Typical pattern was :

Poor
Old
Isolated
lived on the edge of town
Dependant of others

Question 3

What was the role of Hopkins and Stearn

Answer 3

Offered their own services to parishes and towns for a fee - their reputation began to grow

Plans were carefully chosen :

Preferred written invitations
Most places with accusations were godly
Most villages saw the destruction of church images
Politics and religion of local authority and the lord of the manor determined the trial outcome

Earned a yearly wage in one week - financial incentive to find more people to kill - cost of prosecutions led to a special tax being made in ipswich 1645