WeRead Powered by ReaderPub
The Superstitions of Witchcraft cover

The Superstitions of Witchcraft

By Howard Williams
Open in WeRead

Explore more books like this:

History - Early Modern (c. 1450-1750)History - OtherHistory - Religious

About This Book

The author surveys the belief in witchcraft from antiquity through the early modern period, drawing on pagan, Jewish, and Christian sources and legal traditions. He traces how theological doctrines, social anxieties, medical ignorance, and confessional conflict shaped ideas of demonic agency and alleged pacts with occult agents. The narrative examines episodes of prosecution, legislative measures, trial procedures, and popular practices such as sabbaths, charms, and possession phenomena. It assesses contemporary writings that both defended and criticized demonology, and it maps regional variations in intensity and method. Closing chapters consider transatlantic manifestations of the craze and the gradual retreat of the belief as sceptical inquiry grew.

About the Author

Williams, Howard portrait

Howard Williams

Howard Williams was a 19th-century writer and thinker known for his contributions to ethical philosophy and cultural studies. His notable works include "The Ethics of Diet / A Catena of Authorities Deprecatory of the Practice of Flesh Eating," where he explores the moral implications of dietary choices, and "The Superstitions of Witchcraft," which examines the historical and cultural contexts of witchcraft beliefs. Williams' writings reflect a keen interest in the intersection of ethics, society, and superstition, making him a significant figure in discussions surrounding morality and cultural practices of his time.

More Books by This Author

1 picks
The Ethics of Diet / A Catena of Authorities Deprecatory of the Practice of Flesh Eating cover The Ethics of Diet / A Catena of Authorities Deprecatory of the Practice of Flesh Eating by Howard Williams

You May Also Like

6 picks
Cattle and Cattle-breeders cover Cattle and Cattle-breeders by William McCombie Wilford Woodruff, Fourth President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints / History of His Life and Labors, as Recorded in His Daily Journals cover Wilford Woodruff, Fourth President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints / History of His Life and Labors, as Recorded in His Daily Journals by Wilford Woodruff Die großen Mächte cover Die großen Mächte by Leopold von Ranke The History of Ancient America, Anterior to the Time of Columbus / Proving the Identity of the Aborigines with the Tyrians and Israelites; and the Introduction of Christianity into the Western Hemisphere By The Apostle St. Thomas cover The History of Ancient America, Anterior to the Time of Columbus / Proving the Identity of the Aborigines with the Tyrians and Israelites; and the Introduction of Christianity into the Western Hemisphere By The Apostle St. Thomas by George Jones The Book of Buried Treasure / Being a True History of the Gold, Jewels, and Plate of Pirates, Galleons, etc., which are sought for to this day cover The Book of Buried Treasure / Being a True History of the Gold, Jewels, and Plate of Pirates, Galleons, etc., which are sought for to this day by Ralph Delahaye Paine The Life or Legend of Gaudama, the Buddha of the Burmese (Volume I) cover The Life or Legend of Gaudama, the Buddha of the Burmese (Volume I) by Paul Ambroise Bigandet