Authentic, hand-aged, copy of the title page from Matthew Hopkins’s 1647 book ‘The Discovery of Witches’. During the upheaval of the English Civil War of 1645 and 1646, Hopkins, known as ‘Witchfinder General’, had around 300 women executed in East Anglia.
He described his activities in the book and, if true, this would make him one of the most prolific serial killers to have ever lived. The original manuscript is located at the British Library in London. Trimmed A4 Size – 28.8cm (W) x 20.0cm (H).
- Hand Redesigned and Finished
- Dispatches from United Kingdom
- Size: Pretrimmed A4 / A3
- Height: 20 Centimetres
- Width: 28.8 Centimetres
- Dated Art Print Quality Paper
- Materials: Art Paper, Inks, Graphite, Colour Dyes & Natural Organics.
- Frame Not Included
Matthew Hopkins was a notorious witch-hunter active throughout the middle of the 17th century. He published a book, “The Discovery of Witches” in 1647. His flawed and abusive witch-hunting practices were later employed during the infamous Salem Witch Trials of Massachusetts. His activities were made possible by the King of England’s phobia of witches and the disruption of the English Civil War.
Hopkins’ began hunting witches during March 1644, when an acquaintance, John Sterne claimed that a coven of women in Manningtree were performing illegal feats of magic and were trying to kill him with witchcraft. Between 1644 and 1646, Hopkins and his gang are said to have been accountable for the execution of around 300 alleged witches. Records show that he had more women executed than any Witchfinder before or after him. His book survived him, and his dubious methods were later used at the Salem Witch Trials of Massachusetts during1692–93. This resulted in hundreds of residents being suspected and 19 people executed.