😮 Many superstitions during the Tudor period, dated back to traditions and beliefs from much earlier times.
These superstitions were steeped in the belief of old magic, and the mystical properties of animals and herbs.
😮 The Kingdom of Darkness was as real to them, as the Kingdom of Heaven.
Ordinary people everywhere believed in devils, imps, fairies, goblins and ghosts - as well as legendary creatures such as vampires, werewolves and unicorns.
😮 Everyone feared evil portents, such as a hare crossing one's path or a picture falling from the wall.
A pregnant woman must avoid gazing at the moon because it would render her baby insane.
This affected people’s views on everything, from religion, to treating illnesses.
😮 Witches, was the main thing that had people crossing themselves with fear.
It was believed that witches were women, who had made a pact with the Devil, in exchange for supernatural powers.
When the sun went down, people retired to their houses.
This was not because very little work could be done due to lack of light, but because Tudor people thought spirits and witches only appeared after dark.
😮 Leaving a dead cat in your chimney, would warn off any evil spirit trying to enter down your chimney.
Burying bottles filled with urine and pins at the entrances to the house, would stop an evil spirit getting through the door.....
😮 Those pesky witches would strike fear into everybody.
If your cow was ill, it was cursed by a witch, if there was plague in your village, it was the work of a witch, if the crops didn’t grow, it was because of a witch......
People accused of being witches tended to be old, poor, single women.
It's also at this time, that the idea of witches riding around on broomsticks became popular.
😮 A common way to test if someone was a witch, was to use a ducking stool, or just to tie them up, and duck the accused under water in a pond or river.
If she floated, she was a witch.
If she didn’t, she was innocent - and probably drowned......
Anyone who floated was then burnt at the stake.
Because of the 'Witchcraft Act' passed in 1563, it was legal to 'torture' or kill witches, who were deemed guilty of using their powers, or spirits, to curse, injure or kill people.
😮 When King James I became king in 1603, he was particularly superstitious about witches, and even wrote a book on the subject, 'Daemonologie'.
Daemonologie became so influential, that it was republished several times, and distributed across Europe.
😮 Today, there are many Elizabethan superstitions that we still follow:
* Don’t walk under a ladder:
They are bad luck because they are linked to gallows,
the wooden frame for hanging people.
* Say ‘Bless you’ when someone sneezes:
This is to stop the Devil entering your body through
your mouth.
* Don’t spill salt:
Salt was very expensive in Elizabethan times, so
spilling it was very bad luck
* Black cats are unlucky:
They were associated with witches
* Losing your hair suddenly was a sign of bad luck to
come...
* If you can touch a condemned man, that’s good luck

via The Tudor Intruders (and more)
#witchcraft #burningtimes #Elizabethan #witches #FolkloreSunday