The Medieval period and Witchcraft

There are several theories to explain medieval witchcraft and its persecution, four of which are identified by Jeffrey Russell:

The liberal tradition, which argues that there really were no witches, and that the concept of witchcraft was the result of overactive ecclesiastical fears.

The Margaret Murray tradition, which suggests that European witchcraft was actually an ancient fertility religion based on worship of the horned god Dianus.

The social history view which looks to the social pattern of witch accusations as more important than the actual study of witches, if they existed.

The history of ideas school in which witchcraft is thought of as a composite of concepts gradually developed over the centuries. (Russell)

A fifth was elucidated by Anne Barstow:

The study of witchcraft and its persecutio

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witches could be responsible for illegitimate children (through incubi) any kind of sickness or disease, infertility, stillborn babies, infant deaths, bad behavior of men (possession), tempests, damage to livestock animals, castration, bad luck, and the adultery and lustful ways of married men (Kramer & Sprenger pp. 21-28, 48-66, 96-99, 114-150). Reading that list, it is hard to imagine any kind of ill that could befall a Medieval village person that could not be attributed to witches. Witches and Incubi were even able to be blamed for crimes witnessed by many people, such as the following case reported in a text from 1584 where it appears that the Bishop Sylvanus got away with some foul play: You shall read in the legend, how in the night time Incubus came to a ladies [sic] bedside, and made hot loove unto hir: whereat she being offended, cried out so lowd, that companie came and found him under hir bed in the likenesse of the holie bishop Sylvanus, which holie man was much defamed therebie, untill at the length of his infamie was purged by the confession of a divell made at S. Jeroms toombe (Scot p.45). The text later makes note that "Maides having yellow haire are most molested with this spirit."(Scot p.45). Apparentl
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Approximate Pages = 11 (250 words per page)

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