Matthew made a career out of discovering witches for a fee. The discovery of witches witchfinder general matthew hopkins. A brief history of witchcraft in norwich and east anglia. In this book, matthew hopkins answers his critiques and while his answers are interesting, the questions reveal a much more sophisticated and nuanced view of witch hunts by his. Hopkins claimed to be officially commissioned by parliament to uncover and prosecute witches in 1645 and assumed the title of witchfinder general. You can read more about matthew hopkins and the war on witches in our where history happened feature. Hopkins, known as witchfinder general, had around 300 women executed in. But, to the people of bury st edmunds, he had only title worth knowing.
Witchfinders malcolm gaskill harvard university press. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. More than a hundred were hanged, causing hopkins to be dubbed witchfinder general by critics and admirers alike. It isnt entirely fair to categorise matthew hopkins as a psychopath. We dig up the life and times of matthew hopkins, the selfproclaimed witchfinder general. After his book, the discovery of witches, have been published, trials and executions witchcraft began in the new england colonies with the hanging of asle young of windstor, connecticut on may 26, 1647. One of the most remarkable episodes to come out of the european witch craze was the panic that gripped east anglia, england from 16451647. Witchfinder general 1968, known as the conqueror worm in america, was directed by michael reeves and occupies a unique place in british cinema. The discovery of witches witchfinder general matthew. In this book, matthew hopkins answers his critiques and while his answers are interesting, the questions reveal a much more sophisticated and nuanced view of witch hunts by his contemporaries than they are often credited for. One of my favourite british horror films is called the witchfinder general. In his descriptions, wallington writes of a supposed coven of witches found in manningtree, suffolk, the home of witchfinder general matthew hopkins. Though their campaign was never legally sanctioned, they garnered the popular support of local gentry, clergy, and villagers. An encyclopedia entry for matthew hopkins is presented.
Witchfinder general religion, spiritualism, and occult the unofficial title adopted by matthew hopkins, the son of james hopkins, minister of wenham in suffolk, england. Matthew hopkins, son of mr james hopkins, minister of wenham, was buried at mistley, august 12 th, 1647. Matthew hopkins was a real life witchhunter who worked during the english civil war. Witchfinder general article about witchfinder general by. On august 27, 1645, the small town of bury st edmunds, england set a grisly record. Matthew hopkins, witchfinder general, with two supposed witches. Matthew hopkinss has gone down in history as the notorious witchfinder general. History has made matthew hopkins something of a boogeyman. His victims were for the most part elderly women, though men too, even respected clergymen, faced trial and capital. The book trail the witchfinders sister the book trail.
The young infamous puritan witch finder general, matthew hopkins, and his partner john stearne found plenty to keep them busy in the districts of essex, suffolk and norfolk. He hailed from a puritan, east anglian background, an area of england that would later see heavy emigration to america and a people that would carry their beliefs into the salem witch trials. The title page shown here is from matthew hopkinss 1647 book the discovery. Beth underdowns debut novel, centred on matthew hopkins, the infamous witchfinder general of the mid 17th century, positions him as a serial killer.
A man that, in just 2 years, was responsible for around 60% of all witch trials in england spanning 3 centuries. He was also being paid by parishes to root out witches and doing so made him rich, but it also proved that his madeup role of witchfinder general was a necessity. He was responsible for the arrest of 31 women, 19 of whom were said to be witches, and hanged. There is reason to believe that this was the noted matthew hopkins, witch finder general to the associated counties, who had frequently been mentioned by various writers. A man that, in just 2 years, was responsible for around 60% of all witch trials in england spanning 3. Witchfinder fact 1 witchfinder general this was the title used by matthew hopkins himself in 1647 when he published a defence of the actions of the witchfinders. Equally praised and vilified, the film fictionalizes the exploits of matthew hopkins, a prolific, real. One dark day in bury st edmunds, 18 people were hung in just a few hours, all at the behest of the witchfinder general. Beth underdowns new book on manningtrees witchfinder general, matthew hopkins. He and his associates are believed to have been responsible for the deaths of 300 women, accused of witchcraft, between 1644 and 1646. Matthew hopkins, the self the activities of the essex. Matthew hopkins is perhaps the most notorious, certainly the most productive, witchfinder that england ever boasted. Reliable information about the coronavirus covid19 is available from the world health organization current situation, international travel.
Cast across suffolks history is the dark shadow of matthew hopkins, better known as the witchfinder general. It was the single biggest massexecution for witchcraft in english history, and it was all the work of one man. In march 1644 he alleged his first discovery of witchessix of them, in manningtree, who he claimed tried to kill him. Hopkinss mission is to eradicate all women suspected. Matthew hopkins the witchfinder general from tiny pennies. Witchfinder general is a historical novel that stays very close to the depraved facts revolving around the activities of a trinity of witch hunters led by one matthew hopkins. James certainly had a strange fascination with all things associated with the occult. Hopkins witchhunting methods were outlined in his book the discovery of witches, which was published in 1647. In 1645, two obscure gentlemen, matthew hopkins and john stearne, exploited the anxiety and lawlessness of the time and initiated a brutal campaign to drive out the presumed evil in their midst. The kingdoms of scotland and england were united in 1603, when king james vi of scotland also became james i of england. Matthew hopkins is perhaps the most notorious, certainly the mos.
The discovery of witches by matthew hopkins free ebook. Whilst this manuscript has never been found, in 1974, during his research efforts for his book matthew hopkins. The best, and regrettably the last, of too few films directed by michael reeves before his untimely death. Free kindle book and epub digitized and proofread by project gutenberg. One of his earliest trials took place in 1645 at chelmsford, essex before the justices of the peace and robert rich, earl of warwick. Although he called himself witchfinder general, there is no evidence that matthew hopkins circa 1620 12 august 1647 was ever given a specific title by any political or social authority. He claimed to hold the title of witchfinder general, although this was never a authentic title. The early 17th century was a time of great anxiety about witches. Matthew hopkins the witchfinder general exposing the guilty protecting the vulnerable.
According to his book the discovery of witches, hopkins began his career as a witchfinder after he overheard various women discussing their. Inspired by the reallife story of notorious witchfinder general matthew hopkins, beth underdowns thrilling debut novel blends spellbinding history with harrowing storytelling for a truly haunting reading experience. Helped in no small part by folktales, books, tv shows and films, including the 1968 witchfinder. King james ivi, a man already obsessed with witchcraft, published a book called daemonologie in 1597 that supposedly outlined a witches aims and methods, as well as the means to detect them. He made it his mission to hunt out and find witches and kept a log of women who displayed witch like tendencies its thought he was responsible for the death of some 300 women in just. After all, as we said, he was somewhat victim to his own upbringing.
Numerous and frequentlyupdated resource results are available from this search. A portrait of matthew hopkins, the celebrated witchfinder from the 1837 edition of the discovery of witches. The fate of the witchfinder general folklorethursday. But who was matthew hopkins, more commonly known as the witchfinder general. He claimed to hold the office of witchfinder general, although that title was never bestowed by parliament.
By the autumn of 1647 at least 250 people mostly women had been captured, interrogated, and hauled. It is also believed that he was responsible for the executions of around 200300 women and men between 1644 and 1647. There is much cruelty in this book, but it has a happy ending. That day, 18 men and women were hanged together as witches.
Malcolm gaskill retells the chilling story of the most savage witch hunt in english history. Witchfinder general published in 1976, richard deacon put out an appeal for information regarding hopkins early life. But from 1644 to 1647, he traveled england during the civil war, examining suspected witches and various witnesses. The son of a minister, hopkins began plying his gruesome trade in 1645, at. Known as the midseventeenthcentury witchfinder general, hopkins worked as a lawyer in essex, england. Through torture, the finding of so called witches marks, and the dreaded swimming test hopkins managed to make a fine living for himself receiving 20 shillings for. The witchfinders sister by beth underdown, hardcover. I was turned to it while reading good omens which makes mention of matthew hopkins the selfproclaimed witchfinder general. Matthew hopkins is perhaps the most notorious name in the history of english witchcraft, more commonly he was known as the witchfinder general.
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