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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... conjuration' of the agnus dei, asked Bishop Jewel, endow it with the power to preserve its wearer from lightning and tempest? Of what avail was a mere piece of wax against a storm sent by God? As for St Agatha's letters, the holy remedy ...
... conjuration' of the agnus dei, asked Bishop Jewel, endow it with the power to preserve its wearer from lightning and tempest? Of what avail was a mere piece of wax against a storm sent by God? As for St Agatha's letters, the holy remedy ...
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... conjuration, or enchantment'. As he carefully explained, extraordinary work of God, or a vain and impious conjuration. to consecrate is, in Scripture, to offer, give or dedicate, in pious and decent language and gesture, a man, or any ...
... conjuration, or enchantment'. As he carefully explained, extraordinary work of God, or a vain and impious conjuration. to consecrate is, in Scripture, to offer, give or dedicate, in pious and decent language and gesture, a man, or any ...
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... conjuration. But seeing, for the frequency of pretending the change of nature in their consecrations, it cannot be esteemed a work extraordinary, it is no other than a conjuration or incantation, whereby they would have men to believe ...
... conjuration. But seeing, for the frequency of pretending the change of nature in their consecrations, it cannot be esteemed a work extraordinary, it is no other than a conjuration or incantation, whereby they would have men to believe ...
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... conjuration. A prayer 'repeated without understanding', said another Protestant, was not 'any better than a charm'.37 In an effort to remove the incantatory aspects of formal prayer the Anglican Church went over from Latin to the ...
... conjuration. A prayer 'repeated without understanding', said another Protestant, was not 'any better than a charm'.37 In an effort to remove the incantatory aspects of formal prayer the Anglican Church went over from Latin to the ...
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... conjuration and sorcery'. Sir John Eliot thought that Parliament should stand firm against Laudian innovations 'by restricting their ceremonies, by abolishing their sorceries'.70 By 1645 the reaction against formal prayer had gone so ...
... conjuration and sorcery'. Sir John Eliot thought that Parliament should stand firm against Laudian innovations 'by restricting their ceremonies, by abolishing their sorceries'.70 By 1645 the reaction against formal prayer had gone so ...
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