Magic as a Political Crime in Medieval and Early Modern England: A History of Sorcery and Treason (International Library of Historical Studies)

276 Pages·2017·2.733 MB·English

by  Francis Young

Francis Young is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society and
gained a PhD in history from the University of Cambridge. He is
the author and editor of seven previous books. These include
EnglishCatholicsandtheSupernatural,1553–1829(2013),TheGages
ofHengraveandSuffolkCatholicism,1640–1767(2015),TheAbbeyof
BuryStEdmunds:History,LegacyandDiscovery(2016)andAHistoryof
Exorcism in Catholic Christianity (2016). He broadcasts regularly for
the BBC on historical topics and is centrally involved in efforts to
locate the coffin of St Edmund, Martyred Monarch of the East
Angles.Hisnewbook,Edmund:InSearchofEngland’sLostKing,will
be publishedbyI.B.Taurisin 2018.
‘ThestudyofmagicinmedievalandearlymodernEnglandhasbeen
dominatedbyitshavingbeenlocatedwithinthestudyofwitchcraft,
to the detriment of its study outside the history of witchcraft
accusations. Legal histories of treason have similarly marginalised
the role of magic. This has led to the virtual ignoring of the
relationship between elite magic’s significant role in political crime
andinaccusationsoftreasonagainstitspractitioners.Thefirstbook
devoted to the study of magic and political crime, Francis Young’s
new volume substantially redresses this situation. Taking us on a
fascinating journey through the terrain of treasonous magic, it
illuminates how, from the fourteenth to the seventeenth century,
treasonousactivitiesagainstboththemonarchandthegovernment
were often driven by magical practices – whether by means of
astrologicalcalculations,thestabbingormeltingofeffigiesoroccult
knowledge of poisons. It makes an original and significant addition
both to modern studies of the European magical tradition and to
the political history of medieval and early modern England, while
serving too as a salutary reminder that that history cannot be fully
understoodwithoutrecognitionoftheintimaterelationbetweenthe
magicalandthemonarchical.’
– PhilipC.Almond,EmeritusProfessorofReligion,
UniversityofQueensland
‘While most histories of medieval and early modern magic have
focusedeitheronthetheoriesandpracticesofmagic,oronitstroubled
relationship with religious authority, Francis Young’s impressively
arguedandrichlydocumentedstudyoffersanewareaofinvestigation:
the close links between moments of political instability, fears of
seditionandtreasonandaccusationsofharmfulmagic.Young’sbook
will be warmly welcomed by all those who work on the social and
culturalhistoryofEuropeanmagicandthehistoryofideas.’
– StephenClucas,ReaderinEarlyModernIntellectualHistory,
Birkbeck,UniversityofLondon
‘FrancisYoung’snewbookisanaccessibleandwide-rangingnarrative
history of a fascinating subject: magical treason, its methods,
practitioners and – supposedly – its “victims”. Atmospheric and
engaging,itisnotablywellwritten.’
– MarionGibson,ProfessorofRenaissanceandMagicalLiteratures,
UniversityofExeter
‘This volume makes an important contribution to the field and is a
welcomecounterbalancetotheliteratureonwitchcraft,whichtends
to view the history of magic simply as a road leading to the witch
trials.Itbringstogetherthescatteredliteratureontreasonousmagic
andconvincinglydemonstratesthatmagicalthreatsinterwovenwith
courtly politics and political intrigue were key elements in the
shiftingapproachestomagicinearlymodernEngland.’
– FrankKlaassen,AssociateProfessorofHistory,Universityof
Saskatchewan,authorofTheTransformationsofMagic:IllicitLearned
MagicintheLaterMiddleAgesandRenaissance
FR ANCIS YOUNG
M AGIC A S
A P OL I T ICA L
CR I M E
IN MEDIEVAL AND
EARLY MODERN ENGLAND
A History of Sorcery and Treason
For Rachel
I.B. TAURIS
Bloomsbury Publishing Plc
50 Bedford Square, London, WC1B 3DP, UK
1385 Broadway, New York, NY 10018, USA
BLOOMSBURY, I.B. TAURIS and the I.B. Tauris logo
are trademarks of Bloomsbury Publishing Plc
First published in Great Britain 2018
Paperback edition fi rst published 2020
Copyright © Francis Young, 2018
Francis Young has asserted her right under the Copyright,
Designs and Patents Act, 1988, to be identifi ed as Author of this work.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or
transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical,
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regret any inconvenience caused if addresses have changed or sites have
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A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
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ISBN: HB: 978-1-7883-1021-5
PB: 978-0-7556-0275-9
ePDF: 978-1-7867-3291-0
eBook: 978-1-7867-2291-1
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Contents
Preface ix
Abbreviations xiii
Chronology xv
Introduction 1
HistoriesofMagicasPoliticalCrime 4
StudyingMagicasPoliticalCrime 7
DefiningMagic 8
MagicandWitchcraft 12
MagicandTreason 16
StructureoftheBook 20
1. ‘CompassingandImagining’:MagicasaPolitical
CrimeinMedievalEngland 23
JohnofNottinghamandthePlotAgainstEdwardII 27
MagicandtheStatuteofTreason 31
ApplicationoftheStatuteofTreason 32
TheCaseofEleanorCobham 35
MagicintheWarsoftheRoses 46
TheReignofHenryVII 51
Conclusion 53
2. Treason,SorceryandProphecyinTheEarlyEnglish
Reformation,1534–58 55
TheTudorsandtheEnglishReformation 57
ProphecyandTreason 61
MagicandTreasonatCourt 70
vi Magic as a Political Crime
TheReignsofEdwardVIandMary 78
Conclusion 84
3. ElizabethversusThe‘PopishConjurers’,1558–77 87
TheElizabethanReformation 87
TheAccessionofElizabeth 89
TheFortescueConspiracy 91
The1559BillagainstSorcery,WitchcraftandBuggery 93
TheWaldegraveandPoleConspiracies 95
TheBurningofStPaul’s 105
The1563ActAgainstConjurationandWitchcraft 108
TheAbductionandTrialofJohnStory 111
TheCaseofRowlandJenks 116
Conclusion 118
4. ‘ATraitorousHearttotheQueen’:Effigiesand
Witch-Hunts,1578–1603 119
EffigyMagic 121
JohnDeeandtheWaxEffigies 123
Leicester’sWitch-Hunt 129
VincentMurphyn’sConspiracy 139
The1580ActforSuppressingSeditiousWords
andRumours 140
‘AnabaptisticalWizards’ 141
Elizabeth’sLastYears 144
MagicalTreasoninShakespeare’sHenryVIPartTwo 147
Conclusion 150
5. ‘ABreachinNature’:MagicasaPoliticalCrimein
EarlyStuartEngland,1603–42 153
JamesVIandMagicalTreason 154
James’sEnglishReign 161
TheCaseofSirThomasLake 167
MagicalTreasoninthePlaysofShakespeare 170
ThePoisoningofJamesI 172
TowardsCivilWar 176
6. TheDeclineofMagicasaPoliticalCrime,1642–1700 179
PoliticalMagicintheEnglishCivilWars 180
InterregnumandRestoration:TheDeclineof
MagicalTreason 182
WitchcraftandTreason 186
Englandandthe‘AffairofthePoisons’ 188
Contents vii
TreasonwithoutMagic:ThePopishPlot 193
MagicandPoliticsPartCompany 195
Echoes 197
Conclusion 202
Notes 205
Bibliography 231
Index 243