Witchcraft - Important vocab# Flashcards
(22 cards)
Maleficium
“evil deed” – by 1580 this was understood as an act of witchcraft designed to harm
Sacrament
a ceremony carried out to attain spiritual grace, e.g Holy Communion
Devil’s mark
mark on the body of someone who had entered a covenant with the Devil
Cunning-Folk
general carried out good deeds – folk-healers etc
Assize circuit
courts that travelled in six circuits around the country, hearing serious cases
Justice of the Peace
a public official appointed to administer the law at a local level
Privy Council
private council of the Monarch
Vagrant
beggar or someone who would wander looking for work. By 17th Century it was someone who could work but chose not to – could be punished by whipping etc
Dissenter
a member of the non-established church outside the Church of England
Idolater
someone who worships false idols
Nonconformist
a Protestant who does not conform to the established practices of the Church of England
Calvinist
follower of John Calvin – Protestant Reformation. Very strict
Heretic
someone who disagrees with the teachings of the Church
Royal society
Founded in 1660 in order to promote the advancement of science and rational thought
Melancholia
Depression or sorrowfulness
Homocentric
Belief that all knowledge can only come from experience - seek out evidence to formulate theories
Natural Philosophy
The study of the natural world
Empiricism
The belief that knowledge can only come from experience - seek out evidence to formulate theories
Polymath
A person of wide knowledge and learning who specialises in a number of different subjects
Convention Parliament
Parliament assembled without the authority of the monarch
Alchemist
Someone who tries to transform common substances into gold or potions used to cure disease
Deductive reasoning
When a conclusion is made based on something already known or assumed
