Witchcraft & Regicide
Posted: Tue Mar 18, 2025 4:23 pm
One of my favorite pastimes is reading historical "accounts" of witchcraft. Though these are always relayed through the words of the witch-hunters, I still find it fascinating to be able to look through the eyes of those who believed in and feared witchcraft. Below is one of my favorite excerpts from King James' Daemonologie.
What are some of your favorite historical accounts of spellwork? And why do so many of them seem to focus on killing kings?
Supposedly, Agnis, a witch, had hung a poisonous frog from its legs for three days and collected its poison over the course of that time in a shell. The venom must then be kept covered until used and it should be used in some operation that includes a personal affect, particularly a worn piece of clothing or cloth of the victim's. Upon such operation, the victim would be experience a painful and torturous death.Touching this Agnis Tompson, she is the onlye woman, who by the Diuels perswasion should haue entended and put in execution the Kings Maiesties death in this manner.
She confessed that she tooke a blacke Toade, and did hang the same vp by the heeles, three daies, and collected and gathered the venome as it dropped and fell from it in an Oister shell, and kept the same venome close couered, vntill she should obtaine any parte or peece of foule linnen cloth, that had appertained to the Kings Maiestie, as shirt, handkercher, napkin or any other thing which she practised to obtaine by meanes of one Iohn Kers, who being attendant in his Maiesties Chamber, desired him for olde acquaintance betweene them, to helpe her to one or a peece of such a cloth as is aforesaide, which thing the said Iohn Kers denyed to helpe her too, saying he could not help her too it.
And the said Agnis Tompson by her depositions since her apprehension saith, that if she had obtained any one peece of linnen cloth which the King had worne and fouled, she had bewitched him to death, and put him to such extraordinary paines, as if he had beene lying vpon sharp thornes and endes of Needles.
What are some of your favorite historical accounts of spellwork? And why do so many of them seem to focus on killing kings?