Once upon a time, magic and witchcraft were not the subject of jokes. People sincerely believed in the existence of otherworldly forces that could be contacted in order to gain fame, money and other earthly benefits. And some not only believed, but also made every effort to truly rise to the heights of success. Here are 7 real-life magicians and sorcerers who at different times terribly frightened ordinary people.
Elphias Levi (real name Alphonse Louis Constant) has gone through a strange path in his life from a priest to a practicing magician. Most of the books on the occult that have survived to this day belong to his pen. In addition, Levi created the image of “Baphomet,” the same one to whom the Knights Templar sacrificed.
Moll Dyer
This woman lived in the 18th century in Maryland. The Moll house was located on the outskirts, but the whole village willingly used the services of the healer. Unfortunately, the witch hunters had a different opinion: one stormy evening, the inquisitors burned the woman right in her hut.
Raymond Buckland
Since the 60s of the last century, Raymond Buckland has been interested in magic and even founded his own Wiccan lodge. The great magician is still alive today, but he comes out to people very rarely. Buckland himself claims that he is engaged in extremely dangerous research in the field of magic and therefore does not want to endanger other people.
Agnes Waterhouse
Perhaps the most famous witch in England. Even the Church could not cope with it and Waterhouse had to fight with the secular court. Agnes openly admitted her connections with the devil and even demonstrated knowledge of the dark arts right at the trial.
Tamsin Blythe
And another English witch who knew how (according to eyewitnesses) to predict the future. Tamsin Blythe married a respected magician, James Thomas. Together they developed their own system of curses - they claim that it is the most effective in all of England.
Alice Kyteler
All four of Alice's husbands died, leaving her their fortune, which could not but arouse certain suspicions on the girl. In 1324, Ireland was a relatively safe place for sorcerers and witches; the Inquisition did not have much power there. However, a special commission was created especially for Kiteler, which established the undeniable connection of the witch with devilish forces. They say that right during the trial, the woman laughed in the inquisitors’ faces, and then jumped on the cat and flew out the window.
Aleister Crowley
This is the main black magician and Satanist of the 19th - 20th centuries. Ideologist of occultism, founder of the doctrine of Thelema and author of many mystical works, including the famous “Book of the Law.” It was he who admired Adolf Hitler, who always had a penchant for mysticism.
"Every boy calls me a witch, but was it my fault that your bottom itched?”
From the case of Alice Goodridge, England, 1596.
Envy! Envy and self-interest are the main driving forces of all witchcraft processes of the Middle Ages. The husband was taken away by a rival - because the witch, the neighbor's harvest is better - because the witch, the competitor's goods are sold out faster - to the stake of the devil's accomplice!
The hysteria called “witch hunt” swept across Europe, not leaving a single corner of it. For several centuries, those who turned out to be luckier, more beautiful, and more hardworking than their neighbors found their death at the stake and on the gallows.
In the British Isles, witch hunts reached their peak during the Elizabethan era. For two centuries of active application of the Statute of Witchcraft of Queen Elizabeth of 1563. (and, later, the Statute of James I) sent from 1,000 to (according to some sources) 70,000 people to the scaffold!
We will, of course, never know the exact figure. And this is even though, thanks to scientists at the University of Edinburgh, a lot of materials from British witchcraft trials have come down to us.
Jan Luyken. Burning of 18 witches and wizards in Salzburg in 1528. 17th century engraving
By the way, of the total number of those executed for witchcraft, only 15% were men!
Some call it gender discrimination, others the extermination of the fair half of humanity under the slogan “don’t leave the witches alive.” And some - with ordinary female envy, embodied in denunciations of rivals.
However, witch hunts were the lot of men.
I would especially like to mention a certain Mr. Matthew Hopkins, a witch hunter. Thanks to his efforts, 68 people were sent to execution in just one year! That is, at his instigation, one person was killed every five days!
And Hopkins did this not at all out of love for people - for each exposed witch he took a fee of a pound, considerable money in those days!
The first documented witch trial in England was the interrogation (and subsequent execution) of Agnes Waterhouse, which took place in 1566. in Chelmsford, Essex.
The accusations against Mrs. Waterhouse were extremely ridiculous - that she had damaged one neighbor, causing him to die. In addition, another neighbor refused to give Agnes butter, and she, in response, conjured up misfortunes for the offender in the household. As a result, she stopped making cottage cheese!
After two days of interrogation, Agnes Waterhouse was found guilty and hanged.
It was one of the most typical witch trials in England. There were many hundreds more of these over the next couple of centuries.
British specifics
By the way, about interrogations.
What are the first associations that arise when you mention England? Of course, primness and aristocracy.
Perhaps it was precisely these primordially British qualities that became the reason that in England, when interrogating “witches,” the terrible torture common at that time in Europe was not used.
For example, the Germans practiced with all their might the rack and an iron chair heated over a fire, while in England they preferred torture to insomnia. Here it is, British integrity in everything, even in gaining recognition!
Execution of witches in England
Another difference between English witch trials was the method of execution.
Throughout Europe, including neighboring Scotland, those found guilty of witchcraft were burned at the stake, while hanging was common in England. The fact is that burning, according to English law, was a punishment for treason.
One cannot help but recall the peculiarity of the British - their exceptional love for animals.
Perhaps this is why almost every case of witchcraft involves an animal - the witch’s assistant. The ones most often mentioned are, of course, cats and toads.
Returning to the “fighter for justice” Matthew Hopkins, already known to us, let us remember his first witch trial, during which he tracked down the assistants of the one-legged elderly witch Elizabeth Clark. The witches’ assistants, the so-called “familiars,” were spirits who took the form of animals and helped the witch both with housework and in witchcraft.
In the case of Elizabeth Clarke, the spirits took the form of two dogs, a kitten, a hare and even a ferret.
Naturally, the court could not resist such irrefutable evidence and the poor old woman was executed.
Unfortunately, criminal prosecution for witchcraft in the British Isles was only abolished in the mid-18th century.
P.S. Do you know how to expose a witch?
Are you fed up with your neighbor's grandmother? Was the conductor rude on the bus?
We offer a common method used in the Middle Ages.
Those suspected of witchcraft were tied up and thrown into the water.
If the woman drowned, the charges were dropped.
If she managed to swim out, then the unfortunate woman was found guilty and sentenced to death!
The water test was Matthew Hopkins' favorite torture, and after his death a legend arose that he himself was subjected to such a test and, as a result, was hanged for witchcraft...
During his short life (27 years), Matthew Hopkins not only destroyed many people, but also shared his wealth of experience in his book The Discovery of Witches. Here in this one.
From the editor
The day before yesterday, November 5, marked 528 years since Pope Innocent VIII issued the bull Summis Desiderantes.
It reportedaround the world, that “many persons of both sexes ... fell into carnal sin with demons.”
The witch hunt began with this document.
And further. When I uploaded an article to the site, pictures began to disappear from the saved text. Here are the witches for you))).
Related Posts
Many people have risen to heights of fame and notoriety due to their supposed knowledge of magic and arcane knowledge. For some, laying parquet is something secret and incomprehensible, but some, thanks to their talent, became rich and famous, others became victims of violent death.
The people in the list below came from different walks of life and from different periods of history. Some had friendly personalities, while others had creepy personalities. But they all had one thing in common and the world still remembers these people as witches and sorcerers.
10. Moll Dyer
Moll Dyer was a woman who lived in the 17th century in St. Mary's County, Maryland. Much about her is shrouded in mystery, but everyone knew that she was a strange woman. An herbal healer and outcast who survived on the generosity of others, she was eventually accused of witchcraft and had her hut set on fire on a cold night. But she ran away into the forest and was not seen for several days... until a local boy found her body.
Moll Dyer died of cold on a large rock, kneeling, with her hand raised, cursing the men who attacked her. Her knees left a mark on the stone. The villagers quickly discovered that they had disturbed the wrong woman. The Moll Dyer curse fell on the city, and for several centuries, it caused cold winters and epidemics.
The Moll Dyer stone became a place of worship
Her ghost, often accompanied by various strange animals, has been sighted many times and is still said to haunt the place. Her creepy reputation eventually became the inspiration for the movie The Blair Witch Project. Although Moll Dyer is an influential folk figure in American witchcraft, no reliable historical evidence of her existence has been found.
9. Laurie Cabot
Laurie Cabot was a popular witch in the United States. A California girl with a legendary history as a dancer, her keen interest in the witchcraft arts led her to New England. After studying the witch's craft for several years, she opened a shop in Salem, Massachusetts, the historical epicenter of the witch hunts. She was initially wary of declaring herself a witch.
But when her black cat got stuck in a tree for days and the fire brigade refused to rescue her, she was forced to say she needed the cat for rituals. The year was 1970 and the word "witch" was like a stigma in Salem. The cat was immediately rescued by the extremely gentle and polite firefighters.
Cabot became a national celebrity. She created a coven of witches and opened a witchcraft store, which became instantly popular. The store, which subsequently moved online, became a favorite destination for tourists. Cabot became one of the world's top witches. Even the Governor of Massachusetts, Michael Dukakis, declared her the official "Witch of Salem" for her positive influence and good work in the community.
Cabot claims that any evil curse sent by a witch will return to her and the evil intent will not be fulfilled. According to her, witchcraft is all about magic, astrology and a sense of nature.
8. George Pickingill
George Pickingill sounds like he stepped right out of the pages of a horror novel. A tall, intimidating 19th century man with a hostile demeanor and long, sharp fingernails. He was a famous cunning man who practiced folk witchcraft. Old George, as he was generally known, was a farm worker who claimed to be a hereditary witcher.
His magical lineage could be traced all the way back to the 11th century, to the witch Julia Pickingill, who was a sort of magical assistant to a local lord. Pickingill was a vile, unsympathetic man who often terrorized other villagers for money and beer. However, he was respected as much as he was feared. George was said to be a skilled healer and would sometimes settle disputes between villagers.
In secret circles, Pickingill was a superstar—essentially the Aleister Crowley of his day. He was recognized as an assistant to the ancient horned god, a frequent ally of the Satanists, and wielded primary authority in the witchcraft arts. Even his lawyer was wanted by other witches.
However, this authority was somewhat tainted by the fact that Pickingill was something of a fanatic (he could approve of a witches' coven if its participants could prove that they were of pure descent), and something of a sexist (all work at his covens was made by women, who also had to submit to some rather dubious conditions).
7. Angela de la Barthe
Angela de la Barthe was a noblewoman and notorious witch who lived in the 13th century. She was burned at the stake by the Inquisition for a number of brutal deeds committed. Her crimes were limited to not only having sex with a demon, giving birth to a snake and wolf demon, being blamed for missing children, but also being a generally unpleasant person.
In reality, of course, Angela was probably a mentally ill woman, and her main crime was supporting the religious sect of Gnostic Christianity, which was denied by the Catholic Church. Her unusual behavior led to accusations of witchcraft, which in turn led to a gruesome death. In those days, such a fate was quite common.
6. Mage Abramelin
The true story of such a 15th century personality as the magician Abrmelin has been lost. However, his legacy lives on in the form of thousands of followers and imitators. Abramelin was a powerful sorcerer who is described by Abraham of Wurzburg as a magician's apprentice who convinced Abramelin to give him his secrets. Abraham did painstaking work on the magical system of Abramelin, which included complex processes for commanding spirits, evil and good.
The system was based on magical symbols that could only be activated at certain times and using certain rituals.
In 1900, the manuscript was published in book form under the title The Book of the Sacred Magic of Abramelin. The book became an instant hit in the occult community, and had a direct influence on notorious practitioners such as Aleister Crowley.
5. Alice Kyteler
For a long time, Ireland was less concerned about witchcraft than continental Europe. Eventually, the witch hunt arrived there too. One of the first and most famous victims was Dame Alice Kyteler, a wealthy moneylender whose husbands had a nasty habit of dying and leaving her everything. The fourth husband began to feel sick, and the children began to stink like rats - just when they saw that their father was going to leave everything to Kyteler.
In 1324, the church recognized Dame Kyteler for conspiring with a secret heretical society. She was not only the first Irish woman to be accused of witchcraft, but also the one to have a relationship with an incubus. The authorities tried to imprison Alice several times, but she had many allies and, each time, she avoided sentencing.
Ultimately, Kyteler disappeared, leaving behind her son and servant. She is said to have fled to England, where she lived in luxury for the rest of her days. Whether she truly practiced the dark arts or not, she is remembered to this day as Ireland's first witch.
4. Tamsin Blythe
A well-known figure of the 19th century in Cornwall, England, Tamsin Blythe was a highly respected medicine woman and natural witch. The term nature witch comes from the fact that European villages were surrounded by a fence or forest, and acted as a symbol of the boundary between this world and the next. Blythe was said to be particularly good at removing spells and curses, as well as being a healer. She could go into a trance and predict the future.
Either way, she also had an arsenal of bad fetishes, and her reputation was tarnished by her husband, James Thomas, a magician like her. Although Thomas was a respected magician, he often drank and became a hooligan, for which everyone disliked him. Tamsin eventually broke up with him, but they got back together late in her life.
Tamsin Blythe's curses were effective in practice due to her reputation and respect. Tamsin cursed the shoemaker for not fixing her shoes - she had no intention of paying for it - and as a result, she said he would be out of work. When word got out about this, no one would do business with the man, and as a result, he was forced to leave his position.
3. Eliphas Levi
Alphonse Louis Constant was known as Eliphas Levi Zahed. He demanded that the name given from birth be translated into Hebrew. Alphonse was the man responsible for the mystical arts as they are known today. During the 19th century, Eliphas Levi explored a variety of faiths - from Christianity to Judaism - to combine beliefs such as the Tarot and the writings of historical alchemists - into a strange hybrid that became known as "Occultism".
A trained theologian who almost became a priest, Levi was always more of a scholar than a practicing magician. However, he was extremely charismatic and had extensive knowledge in many areas of witchcraft. He wrote many books on ritual magic. Levi was especially famous for his work "Baphomet", a satanic deity supposedly worshiped by the Knights Templar.
He considered this figure to represent the "absolute." Eliphas painted the famous painting "Baphomet" as a winged, female figure with the head of a goat. One of the first pictures anyone would think of when the occult is mentioned.
2. Raymond Buckland
Raymond Buckland, the "Father of American Wicca" was deeply impressed by modern Gardnerian Wicca. He took Gerald Gardner's New World teachings and eventually refined them into his own variation called Sixx Wicca.
A veteran of witchcraft, Backlund has been involved in witches' covens since the '60s, usually as a leader. He is a Wiccan priest and a respected expert in all things neo-pagan. Until his retirement from active witchcraft in 1992, he spent decades as the most recognizable and foremost expert in the magical craft. These days, he lives in rural Ohio, where he writes books about witchcraft and continues to practice a solitary version of his magical craft.
1. Agnes Waterhouse
Agnes Waterhouse, commonly known as Mother Waterhouse, was one of the most famous witches England has ever known. The crimes she was accused of were quite heinous - Mother Waterhouse and two other witches were put on trial for entertaining the devil, cursing people, and even causing bodily harm and multiple deaths due to their black magic.
The surprising thing is that the church did nothing towards Agnes. She was the first English witch to be sentenced to death by a secular court. In her testimony, Agnes openly admitted that she practiced the dark arts and devil worship.
Agnes had a cat, which she called Satan, which she claimed to send to kill the livestock of her enemies, or, on occasion, the enemies themselves. She was a sinner and stated that Satan told her she would die, hanged or impaled, and Agnes could not do anything about it. Mother Waterhouse was indeed sentenced to hang, despite the fact that two other witches who faced similar charges were released (one was found not guilty, the other was sentenced to a year in prison - although later charges led to her death).
Her satanic bravado disappeared somewhere after the verdict. On her way to the gallows, Waterhouse made one final confession - she once did not kill a man because his strong faith in God prevented Satan from touching him. She went to her death praying for God's forgiveness.
Agnes Waterhouse(c. 1503 - 29 July 1566), also known as Mother Waterhouse, was the first woman executed for witchcraft in England.
In 1566, she was accused of witchcraft along with two other women: Elizabeth Francis and Joan Waterhouse. All three women were from the same town, Hatfield Peverel. She confessed to having been a witch and that her familiar was a cat (later turned into a toad) by the name of Satan, sometimes spelled Sathan, which originally belonged to Elizabeth Francis. Agnes was put on trial in Chelmsford, Essex, England, in 1566 for using witchcraft to cause illness to William Fynne, who died on 1 November 1565. She was also charged with using sorcery to kill livestock, cause illness, as well as bring about the death of her husband. Her eighteen-year-old daughter Joan Waterhouse was also accused (but found not guilty) of the same crime. Joan Waterhouse's testimony ultimately helped to convict the two other women. Agnes was hung, and was the first woman executed for witchcraft in England.
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Transcription
A woman received a sentence to one year in prison in February 1566, a more than thirty miles from London. Her name was Elizabeth Francis and she stood accused of placing a curse on a pregnant neighbor, causing the boy infant to be born paralyzed. To this crime she would freely confess. Five months later Elizabeth was furloughed from her prison cell for the purpose of giving testimony in the trial of another witch... her sister. The county seat of the witchcraft trial court was in the town of Chelmsford. As the Gutenberg Press had been in use for more than a century, the enlightened judiciary of England permitted the publication of the testimony given at a witch trial in the form of unbound pamphlets, available for sale to the public. The use of an evil pet known as a familiar, was common in Witchcraft narratives of the period. Elizabeth"s familiar was a cat whose coat was white with spots. The familiar might execute the nefarious agenda of its owner, or it just might promulgate evil on its own. At times it was the witch"s only friend. One who confessed to being a witch would often dwell on stories of their charmed pet, to include the conversations had with it. Elizabeth Francis tested that at the age of 12 she began to learn the dark art at the foot of her grandmother, Eve. At the age of consent Grandmother gave her a cat and instructed that she feed her familiar lavishly with bread and milk, even if Elizabeth had to go without, which was not unusual in her neighborhood. The cat's name was Satan, and Eve told her granddaughter to let it sleep in a fine basket. Elizabeth's first wish was to be rich. She made this request of the cat: "Satan, bring me sheep." She tested the cat brought sheep into her pasture... 28 of them! However she was a poor steward. Those sheep that did not escape, grew sick and died. Her next wish was to have Andrew Byles as her husband. He was a man of some wealth. The cat advised her to lay with Andrew, and she did. But the man refused to marry her, even though she found herself with child. She asked the cat to ruin his finances. His harvest fell to waste. She asked that he fell ill. The cat brushed against his leg, and Mr. Byles died. This testimony was part of the trial of Elizabeth's sister, Agnes Waterhouse. Perhaps she was trying to distract attention from the charges against her sibling. But Elizabeth admitted that she visited her sister, to find her baking a cake in the oven. Elizabeth was in such a state of hunger that she made a trade of Satan for the cake. She instructed Agnes how to use the familiar and what its reward should be. For each service provided by the cat, it was to be fed one drop of blood, obtained by sticking one"s flesh with a thorn. At the order of the magistrate, both women displayed marks on their arms and hands, appearing as red spots where in the past they had drawn their own blood. Some women of limited means who bore the ill will of their neighbors, had magical ability to even the score, giving them a sense of empowerment in a society where they occupied the lowest rung. so-called "coven" of witches was actually the support network they formed, because they were excluded from the women's network in town. Agnes was called "Mother Waterhouse" because of her reputation as a healer. Now 64 years of age, she confessed at trial to the death of her husband, the death of a neighbor, and the wasting of another neighbor's livestock. She prayed to the court for the forgiveness of god. Mother Waterhouse became the first woman executed for witchcraft in England, when two days after her trial, she was taken to the gallows on the crest of Primrose Hill in Chelmsford. The English allowed examination by the public in the shadow of the hangman's noose. They demanded to know if Agnes ever went to church. She said, "Yes." They demanded to know how she prayed. Agnes answered, "The Lord's Prayer, and the Ave Maria."
Contents
Trial
During the trial, Elizabeth Francis was examined first. She confessed to possessing the familiar, a white spotted cat named Satan (or Sathan). Elizabeth Francis received the cat from her grandmother, Mother Eve of Hatfield Peverell, who taught her witchcraft when she was twelve years old. Elizabeth Francis kept the cat for fifteen or sixteen years, before eventually giving it to Agnes Waterhouse. According to Elizabeth Francis, the cat spoke to her in a strange hollow voice and would do anything for her in exchange for a drop of blood. She confessed to stealing sheep, and killing several people including a wealthy man, Andrew Byles, who would not marry her after she became pregnant with his child. Francis also said the cat instructed her on what herbs to drink to terminate the pregnancy. Later, after Francis married, she was unhappy and willed the cat to kill her six-month-old daughter and make her husband lame. The confessions that Elizabeth Francis made expanded the scope of her crimes considerably. Elizabeth Francis was the first to be accused, and is the one who accused Agnes Waterhouse. She was given a lighter sentence, but was hung after a second conviction thirteen years later. A later pamphlet from a 1579 trial shows that Elizabeth Francis and Agnes Waterhouse were sisters.
Elizabeth Francis gave the cat, Satan, to Agnes Waterhouse in exchange for a cake. She reportedly taught her how to perform witchcraft as she was instructed before by her grandmother, Mother Eve, telling her that "she must call him Satan and give him of her blood and milk as before." Agnes Waterhouse confessed to first having the cat kill one of her own pigs in order to "see what he could do." Then, after arguments with her neighbors, she had their cows and geese killed. She kept the cat in a pot lined with wool, but wanted to repurpose the wool, so she turned the familiar into a toad. However, other sources suggest that he had turned himself into a toad. She denied that she had ever succeeded in killing anyone by witchcraft, but was found guilty.
Next, Joan Waterhouse tested that she once tried to "exercise" Satan (Sathan) while her mother was away. Joan Waterhouse had been refused a piece of bread and cheese by a neighbor's child, Agnes Brown, and had invoked the toad's help. The toad promised to assist her if she would surrender her soul, which she did, and then the toad haunted Agnes Brown in the form of a dog with horns. Joan Waterhouse apparently did not use the cat, Satan, to any large degree, but by testing to its existence, helped convict the other two women.
The chief evidence against Agnes Waterhouse came from twelve-year-old neighbor, Agnes Brown. In her testimony, Agnes Brown described the demon as a black dog with a face like an ape, a short tail, a chain and a silver whistle around his neck, and a pair of horns on his head. In their first encounter he asked her for some butter, which she refused him, so the black dog with horns - who had a key to the milkhouse door - opened the door and got some butter. Later, he returned for the last time with a knife and threatened to kill her; Agnes described his threat: "If I would not die that he would thrust his knife to my heart but he would make me to die." The most incriminating piece of evidence was Agnes Brown's account of asking the dog who his "dame" was, to which he wagged his head towards Agnes Waterhouse's home.
Final confessions and execution
On 29 July 1566 - two days after the trial finished - Agnes Waterhouse was executed. At this time she repented and asked for forgiveness from God. She also confessed to her attempt to send the cat, Satan, to hurt and damage the goods of her neighbor, the tailor named Wardol. However, this was unsuccessful because he was so strong in faith. She was also questioned about her church habits. Agnes Waterhouse said that she prayed often, but always in Latin because the cat, Satan, forbid her from praying in English.
Legacy
The Chelmsford trial was typical of English witchcraft in the absurdity of the charges and the emphasis upon the familiar. This trial resulted in the first punishments and executions for witchcraft in England, and also inspired the first of many pamphlets on both the subject of witchcraft and particular trials that constitute an important source for witchcraft beliefs.
References
- ^ Kors, edited by Alan Charles; Peters, Edward Peters; revised by Edward (2001). Witchcraft in Europe, 400-1700: a documentary history(2nd ed.). Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press. pp. Chapter 46. ISBN. CS1 maint: Extra text: authors list (link)
- ^ Hester, Marianne (1992). Lewd women and wicked witches: a study of the dynamics of male domination(1. publ. ed.). London u.a.: Routledge. pp. 166–171. ISBN.
There have always been people endowed with supernatural powers. The talent to foresee many events, the ability to treat dangerous illnesses and prevent misfortunes in various eras was perceived as heresy, occultism and was denied by traditional confessions. Naturally, there was a constant hunt for magicians, sorcerers and witches. Whatever fate awaited them. We invite you to briefly familiarize yourself with the fate of some psychics in world history.
Moll Dyer from Maryland
She didn’t do anything bad to anyone; on the contrary, she was known as a healer and cured many ailments with the help of healing infusions. In the 17th century, such activities were not encouraged, so she was persecuted in every possible way, considered an outcast. And once they even set fire to Moll Dyer’s home. She managed to escape the fire, but the woman could not withstand the piercing wind. The dying Moll Dyer, according to legend, cursed her avengers and doomed the town's population to survive in the conditions of severe winter frosts, hunger and epidemics.
Her ghost still worries Americans and inspires creative people. Thus, the image of Moll Dyer formed the basis of the film “The Blair Witch Project”.
Laurie Cabot from USA
The 70s of the twentieth century, it would seem, could no longer amaze anyone with its originality, but an interesting store in Salem (Massachusetts) attracted the attention of many after the miraculous rescue of a cat “hanging” in a tree. This establishment was popular not only with tourists; state Governor Michael Dukakis often came here, declaring her the legal “Witch of Salem.”
Laurie Cabot possesses light magic and believes that curses sent by sorcerers return to them with triple force. Her abilities are natural, and scientific knowledge only reinforces her talent.Satanist George Pickingill
The most famous personality of the 19th century, an ardent misogynist and hereditary sorcerer whose ancestry can be traced back to the 11th century, George Pickingill was distinguished by his noticeable asociality, hostile attitude towards others and had a repulsive, sometimes even frightening appearance.
He was associated with the ancient horned god, who could calm scandals and improve, oddly enough, relationships between people, healing not only their souls, but also their bodies.Angela de la Barthe
The famous 13th century witch of noble blood, Angela de la Barthe, was martyred at the stake for having sexual relations with a demon, giving birth to demonic offspring, stealing children, and the like.
In fact, according to historians, she was simply mentally ill, which is why she disgusted those around her. The conflict with the church only strengthened public opinion.Abramelin
One of the most powerful magicians of the 15th century. Presumably, behind this name is Rabbi Abraham Jacob ben Moses ha Levi Moellin. His ability to penetrate the higher worlds is outlined in the Book of Holy Magic of Abramelin, which is a practical guide for many sorcerers.
Black Widow from Ireland Alice Kyteler
A certain moneylender Alice Kiteler attracted the attention of the authorities because every time she married a rich man, the lady after a while became free again and was preparing for the next wedding. In the 13th century, although various epidemics killed people, they did not die in such numbers.
The Irish authorities accused her of having connections with the demonic forces of the earth and decided to protect her from the population of the town. However, soon, in an unknown way, Kiteler disappeared herself, leaving her son to the mercy of fate. According to rumors, she fled to England, where she lived in luxury for the rest of her days.Tamsin Blythe from Cornwall
Englishwoman Tamsin Blythe was a sorceress and healer. She was respected because she not only helped get rid of illnesses, but also predicted fate. Despite her extraordinary abilities, she was not very successful in organizing her own life.
Her husband was a chronic drunk, and there was no way to cure him, especially since he himself considered himself a magician. Several times they came together and separated, until in old age they remained together.Eliphas Levi
Alphonse Louis Constant was known as Eliphas Levi Zahed, as his name sounded in Hebrew. In the 19th century, he was considered a mystic, nourished by the teachings of Judaism and Christianity, who tried to combine the theories of the Tarot and alchemical experiments.
The author of many books on occult magic, the painting “Baphomet”, depicting a woman in the form of a wild goat. It was this deity that the Knights of the Templar Order worshiped.Raymond Buckland
He still practices witchcraft today, having made a splash with his talent in the 60s. XX century. Practicing magician from Ohio (USA).
Agnes Waterhouse
The English witch Agnes Waterhouse still terrifies the Puritans.
She was accused of orgies with the devil, cursing people, causing bodily harm and killing. Even the church itself was afraid of her. Agnes Waterhouse was the first English witch to be hanged by a secular court.