After Dark: Myths, Misdeeds & the Paranormal Who Was the Witchfinder General?
Jan 26, 2026
A deep dive into 1640s England and how civil war, Puritan zeal, and a legal vacuum enabled a fevered witch hunt. Exploration of the methods used to accuse and torture suspected witches, including swimming, pricking, and searches for devil marks. A chilling case study of an accused woman and the era's print culture that amplified fear and shaped later trials.
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Civil War Created Witch Hunt Conditions
- The 1640s civil war created social collapse and heightened supernatural fear that enabled witch hunts.
- Anthony Delaney argues Matthew Hopkins' rise only made sense within that chaotic Puritan, parliamentary context.
Legal Vacuum Enabled Self-Appointed Authority
- Hopkins exploited a legal vacuum after royal assizes left for the war and filled gaps in local justice.
- He investigated and facilitated trials without official appointment, profiting from the chaos.
Elizabeth Clarke's Forced Confession
- Elizabeth Clarke, an older disabled woman, was tied, sleep-deprived and forced to name familiars before confessing.
- Hopkins later published the case in The Discovery of Witches and used it to prove his methods.
