The Discovery of Witches by Matthew Hopkins Paperback Book 9781513271460

Starting in the 15th century a fear of witchcraft and alternative practices grew into a hysteria Because witches were suspected to be devil worshippers they were considered heretics to the Christian church Consequently the Christians launched a crusade against these women and men Matthew Hopkins was not only among the greatest supporters of this crusade but also one of the most active participants In just over a year Matthew Hopkins a selfproclaimed quotWitchfinder Generalquot killed over one hundred people While the witch hunt hysteria infected much of the 17th century society in England there were still those who opposed the accusations and discrimination against witches After being criticized for his work Hopkins decided to publish a guide to witch hunting including methods to discover a witch how to torture them into a confession and how to prosecute them Along with outlines of torture methods such as sleep deprivation and forced physical activity The Discovery of Witches also addressed the questions and concerns raised by those who did not support Hopkins Under the guise of being a man of God Hopkins claimed to have been sent on a divine mission to manipulate other...