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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... Richard Baxter, the nonconformist divine, who tells us he was very seldom without pain, was able as a young man to consult no fewer than thirty-six different physicians.24 Physicians, however, were too expensive for the bottom half of ...
... Richard Baxter, the nonconformist divine, who tells us he was very seldom without pain, was able as a young man to consult no fewer than thirty-six different physicians.24 Physicians, however, were too expensive for the bottom half of ...
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... Richard Taverner, the Erasmian associate of Thomas Cromwell. Observing how pestilence was caused by the evil spirits which infected the air, Taverner explained that for this cause be certain gospels read in the wide field amongst the ...
... Richard Taverner, the Erasmian associate of Thomas Cromwell. Observing how pestilence was caused by the evil spirits which infected the air, Taverner explained that for this cause be certain gospels read in the wide field amongst the ...
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... Richard Davies reminded the Welsh people of the 'superstition, charms and incantations' which had formed the religion of popish times, and a Puritan manifesto described the Church of Rome as the source of 'all wicked sorcery'. A ...
... Richard Davies reminded the Welsh people of the 'superstition, charms and incantations' which had formed the religion of popish times, and a Puritan manifesto described the Church of Rome as the source of 'all wicked sorcery'. A ...
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... Richard Rogers, the freer from trouble. A female sectary confessed during the Interregnum that she fell into a religious depression when she saw her neighbours prosper in the world more than she did; for it could only mean that they ...
... Richard Rogers, the freer from trouble. A female sectary confessed during the Interregnum that she fell into a religious depression when she saw her neighbours prosper in the world more than she did; for it could only mean that they ...
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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