There is a misconception that during the witch hunts between 1450 and 1750, five million were burned in Europe. IN fact most people accused of witchcraft in England were acquitted. In Malcolm Gaskill's history of the 17th century he says that there has be a gross overestimation of the figures and that those found guilty were normally hanged not burnt anyway.
He believes, like most other historians studying that period, that a truer figure for Europe would be around 40,000 and that in England there were only 200 executions resulting directly from charges of witchcraft. Most of those were hangings.
The Italians, French, Germans and even the Scots did burn witches but is was the normal practice to strangle the convicted person and burn his body afterwards.
In Britain between 1440 and 1660 only one witch was burned each century. Margerie Jordermaine, the Witch of Eye, was burned at Smithfield in 1441; Isabel Cockie was burned in 1596; and Isabella Billington was burned in York in 1650, although she was hanged first. Isabel Cockies funeral pyre cost 105s 4d, which equates to about £1,000 today.
It is also little understood that the Church took no part in the prosecutions.
He believes, like most other historians studying that period, that a truer figure for Europe would be around 40,000 and that in England there were only 200 executions resulting directly from charges of witchcraft. Most of those were hangings.
The Italians, French, Germans and even the Scots did burn witches but is was the normal practice to strangle the convicted person and burn his body afterwards.
In Britain between 1440 and 1660 only one witch was burned each century. Margerie Jordermaine, the Witch of Eye, was burned at Smithfield in 1441; Isabel Cockie was burned in 1596; and Isabella Billington was burned in York in 1650, although she was hanged first. Isabel Cockies funeral pyre cost 105s 4d, which equates to about £1,000 today.
It is also little understood that the Church took no part in the prosecutions.
