Anne Bodenham, The Wiltshire Witch

Anne Bodenham, The Wiltshire Witch

Bodenham summoning her familiars in magic circle. Anne Bodenham (1573, 1653) The Wiltshire Witch was a cunning woman (practitioner of magic) and a student of John Lambe. She drew magic circles, saw visions of people in glass, possessed charms and incantations, and kept a magic book. She roused little antagonism in her community until she crossed paths with a maid servant of a Wiltshire family. The family had become involved in a quarrel amongst themselves. It was suggested by neighbours that some of the family had conspired to poison the mother in law. The maid was held responsible and was imprisoned for her part in the plot. The maid in order to detract from her own acts made a confession that she had been directed by Bodenham to sign a book of the Devil's with her own blood. Bodenham was arrested, found guilty and condemned to death.

Album / NYPL/Science Source

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3900 x 3454 px | 38.5 MB

33.0 x 29.2 cm | 13.0 x 11.5 in (300 dpi)