Magic as a Political Crime in Medieval and Early Modern England: A History of Sorcery and Treason by Francis Young (review)

In this timely and well-researched book, Francis Young weaves together the histories of magic, politics, law, and religion to demonstrate the realities of the political crime of magic in late medieval and early modern England. It is worth stating here that this reviewer has long been frustrated at the notion that magic and the occult were fringe practices in premodern Europe: in fact, such activities were central to the everyday life of both high-and low-status people alike. This monograph is therefore extremely welcome: especially as it is skilfully written for the general reader while being a valuable addition to the scholarship of the period—as evidenced by the inclusion of detailed footnotes and an extensive bibliography.

Defining “magic” is not straightforward, and a working definition will never satisfy everyone. Young wisely dedicates four pages in his introduction to grappling with this problem, providing a whistle-stop tour of the historiography of magic definitions, but without actually providing a clear definition of his own (8–12). Ultimately, his definition of “magic” is a learned art that was practised by literate men, as opposed to “witchcraft,” which consists of non-literate activities mainly carried out by low-status women. But witchcraft is not the focus of this monograph; Young focuses on magical activity (either real or imagined) aimed at the various monarchs of England during this time.

A question that is usually raised by historians of magic and the occult is did the practices condemned by the authorities and of which people were accused have any basis in the surviving evidence from the period? Young sets out his stall early, stating in the introduction that:

It is crucial . . . for the historian to engage with the history of magic, since even if the truth of magical practices of particular accused traitors is lost to us in official accounts, we can study comparable magical practices preserved in other texts. A significant gap often existed between official fears of what magicians might do and what magicians themselves tried to do

(3).

So, throughout this volume, Young takes the practices that people were accused of and looks for similar activities in extant manuscripts from the period. For example, in 1578, three wax effigies were found in a barn in Islington. According to one account, the centre figure had the name “Elizabeth” written on the forehead, and the two figures either side were dressed as her councillors. This was seen as an attack on Elizabeth I, and the magician John Dee was even consulted to provide a counter-magical defence. Young takes the reader through examples of effigy magic in contemporary manuscripts, and in the condemnations of e.g. Reginald Scot, to show that this accusation was absolutely plausible (119–29). Every example of magical treason introduced by Young throughout this monograph involves a link to manuscript evidence. This synthesis of “theory” and “practice” is long overdue in the historiography of premodern magic.

Chapter 1 provides the medieval background to magic as a political crime, starting with the plot against Edward II in the early fourteenth century, through the well-known case of Eleanor Cobham against Henry VI in the 1440s, the Wars of the Roses, and Henry VII; Chapter 2 encompasses the period of the early Reformation—from 1534 through the late years of Henry VIII, and the reigns of Edward VI and Mary I; Chapter 3 focuses on the early part of Elizabeth’s reign and several serious magical plots against her; Chapter 4 tackles the second half of the reign, including her dealings with John Dee, effigy magic, and a delightfully-titled section on “Anabaptistical Wizards...