Horrific Facts from History that Will Invade Nightmares

1. The Biggest Mass Execution of Witches

The horrific career of Matthew Hopkins as a witch finder began in May 1644, when an associate, John Stearne, alleged that six women had tried to kill him with witchcraft. Hopkins saw a business opportunity and falsely declared himself “Witch Finder Generall” with a commission from Parliament. He then offered his services to towns and villages to root out witches in their midst, force their confession, and get them hanged by the authorities. His investigative methods amounted to torture. The accused were deprived of sleep, dunked in water, and tied in uncomfortable positions for hours. He also used fake prickings and trick knives to demonstrate that the accused, like witches, did not bleed when pierced or cut.

Hopkins’ flimflam bore its grisliest results on August 27^th, 1645, in the small town of Bury St. Edmunds. That day, thanks to his machinations, eighteen men and women were hanged together for witchcraft. It was England’s biggest mass execution of witches. Hopkins retired in 1646 after he had earned a small fortune – and also because his activities had started to attract unwelcome attention from Parliament. In 1647 he published The Discovery of Witches, an instructional manual, and died shortly thereafter of tuberculosis. His malign legacy lived on, however. The following year, executions for witchcraft and sorcery began in New England, where authorities used The Discovery of Witches as a roadmap. The Salem Witch Trials of 1692-1693 also used the methods outlined in Hopkins’ book.

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Where Did We Find This Stuff? Some Sources and Further Reading

American Heritage Magazine, August, 1961, Volume 12, Issue 5 – Prelude to Doomsday

Carnegie Endowment for International Peace – The Kingdom and the Caliphate: Duel of the Islamic States

Carroll, Leslie – Royal Pains: A Rogues’ Gallery of Brats, Brutes, and Bad Seeds (2011)

Cracked – 5 Horror Scenes Deleted From History For Being Too Creepy

Crone, Patricia – God’s Rule: Government and Islam (2004)

Dodd, Gwilym – The Reign of Edward II: New Perspectives (1966)

Encyclopedia Britannica – Hulegu, Mongol Ruler of Iran

Encyclopedia Britannica – Kharijite

Encyclopedia Britannica – Saint Pierre 1902 Volcanic Eruption

Heritage Daily – Matthew Hopkins, the Real Witch Hunter