Crystal balls & contacting angels: predicting the future in early modern England

Historian Martha McGill, who specializes in early modern Britain and divination, shares fascinating insights into 16th and 17th century fortune-telling. She discusses how societal insecurities drove the demand for guidance and the variety of roles diviners played beyond predictions, like finding lost items. McGill also highlights quirky methods, from animal-based rituals to astrology's popular status, revealing the interplay of belief, religion, and risk in this era. Her exploration uncovers how these historical practices reflect timeless human responses to uncertainty.