Marks of an Absolute Witch

Exploring the crime of witchcraft in early modern England, this book focuses on legal questions of proof. As a capital crime - yet one that was uniquely difficult to prove - witchcraft investigations and trials offer a fascinating lens through which to observe social and judicial attitudes towards crime, punishment and evidentiary standards. The witchcraft debate took place within the formative era of modern evidence law, and the book highlights the mutual influences between the witch trials and major legal developments.