Introduction

Ancient Laws against Witchcraft Witchcraft, enchantment, sorcery, invocations of evil spirits,

and other phases of the black arts have been recognized and practised in England, as elsewhere, from time immemorial. At all times magic in all forms appears to have been considered to be a public danger, and was punished by both ecclesiastical and civil courts. The Church, blindly following biblical behests, believed that the slaughter of wizards and witches was in accordance with the wishes of the Almighty.