Happy Halloween! We're getting in to the spirit of all things spooky for #Halloween2019.
Which monarch released a book on the discussion of witchcraft, necromancy, possession, demons, werewolves, fairies and ghosts?
Answer: it was King James I who took a keen interest in demonology. He published a compendium on witchcraft lore called 'Daemonologie' in 1597.
The @britishlibrary hold a copy in their collection which you can read about here: bl.uk/collection-ite… #Halloween2019
@britishlibrary During the 16th century, many people believed that witchcraft offered a more convincing explanation of sudden and unexpected ill-fortune.
In 1542, Parliament passed the Witchcraft Act which defined witchcraft as a crime punishable by death. 🧙♀️
A further law banning witchcraft was passed in 1604. The 1562 and 1604 Acts transferred the trial of witches from the Church to the ordinary courts.
Overall, some 500 people in England are believed to have been executed for witchcraft. #Halloween2019
The last witchcraft trials were held in Leicester in 1717, but in 1736 the Witchcraft Act was repealed and replaced with fines or imprisonment for people with magical powers. Its promoter was John Conduit, whose wife was the niece of Sir Isaac Newton.🔭🧙♀️
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