"Essential reading on the history of European witchcraft." Richard M. Golden, Religious Studies Review

• 1. Introduction: Keith Thomas and the problem of witchcraft: explanations and representations of witchcraft since Religion and the Decline of Magic Jonathan Barry; Part I. The Crime and its History: 2. 'Many reasons why': Witchcraft and the problem of multiple explanation Robin Briggs; 3. 'Witchcraft Studies' in Austria, Germany and Switzerland Wolfgang Behringer; 4. State-building and witch-hunting in early modern Europe Brian Levack; Part II. Witchcraft and Religion: 5. The Devil in the Old World and the New Fernando Cervantes; 6. 'Saints or sorcerers': Quakerism, demonology and the decline of witchcraft in seventeenth-century England Peter Elmer; Part III. The Making of a Witch: 7. The descendants of Circe: witches and Renaissance fictions Gareth Roberts; 8. Witchcraft and fantasy in early modern Germany Lyndal Roper; 9. The Devil in East Anglia: the Matthew Hopkins trials reconsidered Jim Sharpe; Part IV. Witchcraft and the Social Environment: 10. Witchcraft in early modern Kent: stereotypes and the background to accusations Malcolm Gaskill; 11. Patriarchal reconstuction and witch-hunting Marianne Hester; Part V. Decline: 12. Witchcraft repealed Ian Bostridge; 13. On the continuation of witchcraft Willem de Blecourt.

"Essential reading on the history of European witchcraft." Richard M. Golden, Religious Studies Review

• 1. Introduction: Keith Thomas and the problem of witchcraft: explanations and representations of witchcraft since Religion and the Decline of Magic Jonathan Barry; Part I. The Crime and its History: 2. 'Many reasons why': Witchcraft and the problem of multiple explanation Robin Briggs; 3. 'Witchcraft Studies' in Austria, Germany and Switzerland Wolfgang Behringer; 4. State-building and witch-hunting in early modern Europe Brian Levack; Part II. Witchcraft and Religion: 5. The Devil in the Old World and the New Fernando Cervantes; 6. 'Saints or sorcerers': Quakerism, demonology and the decline of witchcraft in seventeenth-century England Peter Elmer; Part III. The Making of a Witch: 7. The descendants of Circe: witches and Renaissance fictions Gareth Roberts; 8. Witchcraft and fantasy in early modern Germany Lyndal Roper; 9. The Devil in East Anglia: the Matthew Hopkins trials reconsidered Jim Sharpe; Part IV. Witchcraft and the Social Environment: 10. Witchcraft in early modern Kent: stereotypes and the background to accusations Malcolm Gaskill; 11. Patriarchal reconstuction and witch-hunting Marianne Hester; Part V. Decline: 12. Witchcraft repealed Ian Bostridge; 13. On the continuation of witchcraft Willem de Blecourt.

"Essential reading on the history of European witchcraft." Richard M. Golden, Religious Studies Review

• 1. Introduction: Keith Thomas and the problem of witchcraft: explanations and representations of witchcraft since Religion and the Decline of Magic Jonathan Barry; Part I. The Crime and its History: 2. 'Many reasons why': Witchcraft and the problem of multiple explanation Robin Briggs; 3. 'Witchcraft Studies' in Austria, Germany and Switzerland Wolfgang Behringer; 4. State-building and witch-hunting in early modern Europe Brian Levack; Part II. Witchcraft and Religion: 5. The Devil in the Old World and the New Fernando Cervantes; 6. 'Saints or sorcerers': Quakerism, demonology and the decline of witchcraft in seventeenth-century England Peter Elmer; Part III. The Making of a Witch: 7. The descendants of Circe: witches and Renaissance fictions Gareth Roberts; 8. Witchcraft and fantasy in early modern Germany Lyndal Roper; 9. The Devil in East Anglia: the Matthew Hopkins trials reconsidered Jim Sharpe; Part IV. Witchcraft and the Social Environment: 10. Witchcraft in early modern Kent: stereotypes and the background to accusations Malcolm Gaskill; 11. Patriarchal reconstuction and witch-hunting Marianne Hester; Part V. Decline: 12. Witchcraft repealed Ian Bostridge; 13. On the continuation of witchcraft Willem de Blecourt.