Since I'm a descendant of some participants in the Salem/Andover trials [on the accusing side] there is an irresistible tug towards historical fiction that deals with witching. In the historical novel, 'Daughters of the Witching Hill,' the story is told of the 1612 Pendle, England witch trials. I made a mistake that I won't repeat in the future for I went to the Internet and read all about those trials and couldn't finish the book because the author was so on target ... I'm only glad I was 3/4 of the way finished before I went to the net.
While reading the novel I was again reminded of many of the variables that both the accused and the accusers suffered in those disillusioned times. Many of the victims actually came to believe that they had witching powers before they were hung, and that they had actually been instrumental in the destruction and death of others. Witchcraft for the accusers [some of my ancestors] was an easy 'excuse' for conditions beyond their understanding. Through this novel I was again reminded that not all those who issued death sentences to the witches truly believed they were witches, but it was expedient, and since most of those convicted came from the poor it was no great travesty to calm the masses with a few hangings. In all of this calamnity the church can not escape without responsibility for most of the trials were lead by churchmen. In the case of the 1612 trails, England had been switching kings and queens and going from being Roman Catholic to Protestant that hardly no one, certainly not the uneducated poor, knew which side portrayed the truth. Clergymen from both Protestant and R.Catholic sides weren't so interested in the plight, poverty and injustice to the poor as they were 'counting souls' that were saved. Early history, even here in America is replete with clergy/priest preaching hellfire, purgatory and eternal destruction without offering a thread of hope by which even the life of the poorest could have some semblance of present day dignity.
Perhaps the most tragic figures in this book, at these trials, were those who truly had tried to improve the lot of farmers, and their families and their herds and crops and were falsely accused of doing them harm; when before the accusations were cast the authorities had allowed them to continue doing good ... only to arrest them when power and money persuaded them otherwise. I think this was an excellent job by the author.
SHARRATT, Mary. Mariner Books Publishers. 2010 ISBN:978054742229-9
ENJOY
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Judgment and Grace are meaningless without each other. The former points to the necessity for the latter and demonstrates the magnitude of God's love. The latter points to the former as the reason for our human condition.
ReplyDeleteCheers.
It took me awhile to find it since I wrote it over six years ago but I too had family involved in the Salem witch trials. You can read about that HERE if you wish.
ReplyDeleteEd.......... read your previous post and enjoyed it. Kathleen Kent is an excellent author on that time period, and also a direct descendant Martha Carrier, one of the primary people convicted/hung as a witch. She's written two books, be sure to read the second first, it fits that way chronologically in the set of novels.
ReplyDelete'The Wolves of Andover'
[Andover is where my accusing ancestor
and family came from; matter of fact he was the one who brought over the two girls who started the Salem trials]
'The Heretic's Daughter'
ENJOY.
Sherm ... I sense there is a sad lack of both God's love and grace in our culture.
Wow, you and Ed both having families at Salem... Interesting post, we (the human race)often take the easy way out, don't we.
ReplyDeleteFrom the BBC FYI:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lancashire-16066680
Cheers.
Sage.................. best watch your 'p and q's or Ed and I will have to take action! ha.
ReplyDeleteSherm ................ thanks so much for the site, I really enjoyed it!