Witchcraft victims and accused witches were rarely strangers, They were usually known to each other for many years. Usually, the accusations of witchcraft coincides with the person having a bit of misfortune and needing someone to blame so as not to put the blame on themselves. Valletta uses the example of the story of Mary Childerhouse in 1651. She had alleged that someone that she was once acquainted with and others had plotted the ruin of her estate and of her body by ‘enchantments and witchcraft’(194). Unfortunately for Mary, she did not have the evidence to support her claims so the case was dismissed. Cases like this were very common and even though there might not be enough evidence to support the accusation, the damage was already done. This led to lynch mobs, whose lynchings were often pardoned by the
Witchcraft victims and accused witches were rarely strangers, They were usually known to each other for many years. Usually, the accusations of witchcraft coincides with the person having a bit of misfortune and needing someone to blame so as not to put the blame on themselves. Valletta uses the example of the story of Mary Childerhouse in 1651. She had alleged that someone that she was once acquainted with and others had plotted the ruin of her estate and of her body by ‘enchantments and witchcraft’(194). Unfortunately for Mary, she did not have the evidence to support her claims so the case was dismissed. Cases like this were very common and even though there might not be enough evidence to support the accusation, the damage was already done. This led to lynch mobs, whose lynchings were often pardoned by the