‘The end of the hunts in East Anglia by 1647 was largely a product of the end of the civil war’. How far do you agree?

The civil war which happened between 1642 and 1655 affected East Anglia. It affected the power which the church held, in addition to the breakdown of the legal authorities such as the assize courts, in which they lost the influence they yielded. Alongside this, it paved the way for Matthew Hopkins, and his partner John Stearne to rise and claim the unallocated power which was lost amongst East Anglia and the rest of England. In addition to the lack of legal authority, it was also the death of Hopkins, as well as the fall in power both himself and Stearne were affected. The financial aspect of East Anglia was another factor in the end of witch hunts, as towns couldn’t afford to pay witch hunters, notably Hopkins. The civil war was not the sole reason for the end of the hunts, but was the trigger event in which caused other problems in East Anglia, eventually leading to the end of the witch hunts by 1647.

A section of the civil war which was fighting in East Anglia drew to an end in 1646. It led to traditional authority, such as the assize courts, being re-established. By the late summer, more and more witches were beginning to be acquitted. This is due to the Puritan dominated pursuit being disturbed by the previously established authorities, in which neutral individuals of the witch hunts, such as Justice John Godbold, gained power. During his term as Justice, he acquitted three women at Ely, due to his experience of witchcraft trials, due to his position as special commissioner at Bury St Edmunds prior to this event. This is possibly due to the lack of the need for a scapegoat due to the end of the civil war, despite the continuance of poor harvests. This is a change from during the civil war, in which witch hunt investigations were led by superstition, rather than evidence, under the orders of local officials such as Sir Harbootle Grimston. Since Godbold’s role as Justice, it is possible to assume that the civil war’s end help to restore more reasonable figures, in which helped to stabilise the witch hunts by reducing local hostility, which slowly fizzled out. The assize courts held power which proved effective, as they could lower convictions of witches. Despite the temporary loss of power caused by the civil war, the assize courts quickly regained power with more level-headed individuals, which helped to balance out towns, such as those in East Anglia, and assisted in bringing the witch hunts to an end, by the power of acquittals. This isn’t the sole reason for the end…