Witchcraft and Demonianism - C. L'Estrange Ewen - 1970

In this groundbreaking study of English witchcraft trials, C. L'Estrange Ewen presents a meticulous examination of original court records, challenging centuries of sensationalized accounts and supernatural speculation. Drawing from previously unexplored archival sources, Ewen reveals the stark human reality behind witch prosecutions in England from the 16th to the 18th centuries. Through careful analysis of legal documents, depositions, and contemporary accounts, Ewen reconstructs the social, legal, and economic forces that drove communities to accuse their neighbors of 'maleficium'. Moving beyond folklore and fantasy, this scholarly work exposes the mundane disputes, local tensions, and judicial procedures that characterized actual witch trials in English courts. This definitive study remains an essential resource for historians of early modern England, offering an unvarnished look at one of history's darkest chapters through the lens of primary documentation rather than legend and superstition. - Witchcraft and Demonianism: A Concise Account Derived From Sworn Depositions and Confessions Obtained in the Courts of England and Wales - C. L'Estrange Ewen Published 1970, Barnes & Noble New York. Facscimile reproduction of 1933 ed. Heath Cranton Limited, London Hardcover. Approx. 6x9in. 495pp Ex-library with library markings (see photos). Book itself is in good physical condition.