ABSTRACT
It is clear from the analysis of the depositions from Ely and Somerset that witches and victims were inextricably linked. Witchcraft victims and accused witches were rarely strangers. Indeed they were usually known to each other for many years. In addition the cultural acceptability of the devil and witchcraft meant that for many people an explanation that they had been bewitched was perfectly plausible. While it may be true that such beliefs had always existed, they became far more acceptable as an explanation for misfortune during the chaos of the English Civil War and the Interregnum. As noted in earlier chapters the rise of sectarianism during this period provided an ample breeding ground for witchcraft belief. In addition, the number of witches who confessed to their crimes also indicates that these beliefs operated both ways. Many accused witches may have genuinely believed they had the power to perform harmful magic, just as white witches or cunning folk believed they could help people or cure sickness. Moreover, they may have gone further and deliberately exploited their evil reputation with their neighbours in order to gain what they wanted. In this chapter it is intended to explore these aspects of witch belief. In the process of doing so modem findings in the field of psychology will be utilised. However, it is important to stress that it is not the intention to pathologise witchcraft belief by labelling it, rather there is one aim only: to provide possible explanations to the long-standing tensions prevalent within communities which culminated in witchcraft accusations.
