ABSTRACT
In Chapter 6 women are represented as witches and sorceresses. One pliego suelto recounts the story of Magdalena Gil, a reputed sorceress and witch who was purportedly executed for her crimes in Valladolid. In addition to Magdalena Gil’s professed magical powers, the poetic voice provides numerous examples of her extreme wealth acquired through what are considered her illicit activities. Evidence of her wealth is insinuated by, among other things, the types of food she is able to provide for her guests and, most interestingly, her personal and professional library. By considering what types of book publications she owns, we can speculate as to what this ownership demonstrates about her and about the socio-historical context in which she operates, including the reading habits of women. Of particular note is Victor Infantes’s method for classifying book inventories. In this chapter, there is also a discussion of the history of witchcraft, particularly as practiced by women, and its connection to the healing arts and love magic.
