The East Anglian witch hunts began with a single accusation against a woman named Elizabeth Clarke. In this episode, we trace how that first claim of witchcraft sparked a chain reaction fueled by fear, war, and religious unrest—uncovering how one woman's fate ignited the deadliest witch hunt in English history.
Bibliography
Anonymous. A True Relation of the Araignment of Thirty Witches at Chensford [Sic] in Essex, before Iudge Coniers, Fourteene Whereof Were Hanged on Friday Last, Iuly 25. 1645. There Being at This Time a Hundred More in Severall Prisons in Suffolke and Essex. Setting Forth the Confessions of the Principall of Them. Also Shewing How the Divell Had Carnall Copulation with Rebecca West, a Young Maid, Daughter to One Ann West. And How They Bewitched Men, Women, Children, and Cattell to Death: With Many Other Strange Things, the like Was Never Heard of Before. London, 1645. http://proxy.lib.ohio-state.edu/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/books/true-relation-araignment-thirty-witches-at/docview/2240903110/se-2?accountid=9783.
Gaskill, Malcolm. “Witchcraft and Evidence in Early Modern England.” Past & Present 198, no. 1 (February 1, 2008): 33–70. https://doi.org/10.1093/pastj/gtm048.
Gibson, Marion. Witchcraft: A History in Thirteen Trials. Scribner, 2024.
H.F. A True and Exact Relation of the Severall Informations, Examinations, and Confessions of the Late Witches, Arraigned and Executed in the County of Essex. Who Were Arraigned and Condemned at the Late Sessions, Holden at Chelmesford before the Right Honorable Robert, Earle of Warwicke, and Severall of His Majesties Justices of Peace, the 29 of July, 1645. Wherein the Severall Murthers, and Devillish Witchcrafts, Committed on the Bodies of Men, Women, and Children, and Divers Cattell, Are Fully Discovered. Published by Authoritie. London, 1645. http://proxy.lib.ohio-state.edu/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/books/true-exact-relation-severall-informations/docview/2240887915/se-2?accountid=9783.
Hopkins, Matthew, d. 1647. The Discovery of Vvitches: In Answer to Severall Queries, Lately Delivered to the Judges of the Assize for the County of Norfolk. / And Now Published by Matthevv Hopkins, Witch-Finder. For the Benefit of the Whole Kingdome. London, 1647. http://proxy.lib.ohio-state.edu/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/books/discovery-vvitches-answer-severall-queries-lately/docview/2240952672/se-2?accountid=9783.
Leeson, Peter T., and Jacob W. Russ.“Witch Trials.” The Economic Journal 128, no. 613 (August 1, 2018):2066–2105. https://doi.org/10.1111/ecoj.12498.
"Midnight Meeting" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/, Cut from original.
"Midnight Tale" Kevin MacLeod(incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/, Cut from original.
Sterne, John, 17th cent. A Confirmation and Discovery of Witchcraft Containing These Severall Particulars : That There Are Witches ... Together with the Confessions of Many of Those Executed since May 1645 ... / by John Stearne Now of Lawshall. London, 1648. http://proxy.lib.ohio-state.edu/login url=https://www.proquest.com/books/confirmation-discovery-witchcraft-containing/docview/2240889252/se-2?accountid=9783.
Valletta, F. Witchcraft, Magic and Superstition in England, 1640–70. Taylor & Francis, 2017.
