Religion and the Decline of Magic: Studies in Popular Beliefs in Sixteenth and Seventeenth-Century EnglandWitchcraft, astrology, divination and every kind of popular magic flourished in England during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, from the belief that a blessed amulet could prevent the assaults of the Devil to the use of the same charms to recover stolen goods. At the same time the Protestant Reformation attempted to take the magic out of religion, and scientists were developing new explanations of the universe. Keith Thomas's classic analysis of beliefs held on every level of English society begins with the collapse of the medieval Church and ends with the changing intellectual atmosphere around 1700, when science and rationalism began to challenge the older systems of belief. |
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... Catholic martyr, threw holy water at her persecutor, Topcliffe, whose horse thereupon flung him to the ground. Topcliffe raged against her, 'calling her an old witch, who by her charms had made his horse to lay him on the ground, but ...
... Catholic martyr, threw holy water at her persecutor, Topcliffe, whose horse thereupon flung him to the ground. Topcliffe raged against her, 'calling her an old witch, who by her charms had made his horse to lay him on the ground, but ...
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... Catholic Church was noted by an intelligent observer to teach that the Mass might still be efficacious for 'safe-journeying by sea or land, on horseback or on foot; for women that are barren, big, or bringing forth; for fevers and ...
... Catholic Church was noted by an intelligent observer to teach that the Mass might still be efficacious for 'safe-journeying by sea or land, on horseback or on foot; for women that are barren, big, or bringing forth; for fevers and ...
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... Catholic teaching, thought two Elizabethan pamphleteers, that 'the ignorant sort, beholding a man affected but only with melancholy, are so strongly conceited that it is no physical means, but only the good words and prayers of learned ...
... Catholic teaching, thought two Elizabethan pamphleteers, that 'the ignorant sort, beholding a man affected but only with melancholy, are so strongly conceited that it is no physical means, but only the good words and prayers of learned ...
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... Catholic rituals of consecration and exorcism became central to the Protestant attack. Who were 'the vilest witches and sorcerers of the earth', demanded James Calfhill, if not 'the priests that consecrate crosses and ashes, water and ...
... Catholic rituals of consecration and exorcism became central to the Protestant attack. Who were 'the vilest witches and sorcerers of the earth', demanded James Calfhill, if not 'the priests that consecrate crosses and ashes, water and ...
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... Catholic past. There were even objections to the old precaution of consecrating no more bread and wine than was needed by the communicants, because it implied that the elements changed their quality during the rite. In such ways the ...
... Catholic past. There were even objections to the old precaution of consecrating no more bread and wine than was needed by the communicants, because it implied that the elements changed their quality during the rite. In such ways the ...
Contents
Ghosts and Fairies | |
Times and Omens | |
Cunning Men and Popular Magic | |
Magic and Religion | |
its Practice and Extent | |
its Social and Intellectual Role | |
Astrology and Religion | |
THE APPEAL TO THE PAST 13 Ancient Prophecies WITCHCRAFT | |
the Crime and its History | |
Witchcraft and Religion | |
The Decline of Magic | |
Index | |
Providence | |
Prayer and Prophecy 6 Religion and the People | |
Magical Healing | |
The Making of a Witch | |
Witchcraft and its Social Environment | |
Decline | |
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Common terms and phrases
2nd edn accused almanac Archaeol Ashm Ashmole astrological Aubrey Autobiography belief Bishop Bodl Book Cambridge Catholic chap charms Christian Church clergy clients confessed conjuration contemporary courts cunning cunning folk cure curse death declared Devil Diary Discourse Discoverie disease divine doctrine early ecclesiastical Elizabeth Elizabethan England English Essex evil Ewen example fairies faith G. G. Coulton Gadbury Gentilisme ghosts God's healing Henry Hist History holy Hugh Latimer intellectual John John Aubrey John Dee John Gadbury John Jewel Josten Journ judicial astrology King Kittredge Lilly Lilly's Lollards London magic medicine medieval misfortune natural Oxford Parish persons Physicians plague popular practice prayer predictions prognostication prophecies prophetic prosecution Protestant Puritan Records Reformation Reginald Scot reign religion religious Richard ritual Robert Royal scepticism Science Scot Sermons sixteenth century Sloane social society sorcery spirits supernatural Superstitions Thomas thought trans Treatise Tudor William William Lilly William Perkins witch-beliefs witchcraft witches wizard woman