Demonic Possession and Exorcism in Early Modern England: Contemporary Texts and their Cultural Contexts [Hardcover]

This book is exclusively devoted to demonic possession and exorcism in early modern England.This is the first book exclusively devoted to demonic possession amd exorcism in early modern England. It offers, for the first time, modernised versions of the most significant texts on nine cases of demonic possession from the period 1570 to 1650. The nine stories of demonic possession were all written by eye-witnesses or were derived from eye-witness reports. The modernised texts and critical Introductions are placed within the context of an Introduction to demonic possession in England across the period 1550 to 1700.This is the first book exclusively devoted to demonic possession amd exorcism in early modern England. It offers, for the first time, modernised versions of the most significant texts on nine cases of demonic possession from the period 1570 to 1650. The nine stories of demonic possession were all written by eye-witnesses or were derived from eye-witness reports. The modernised texts and critical Introductions are placed within the context of an Introduction to demonic possession in England across the period 1550 to 1700.Exclusively devoted to demonic possession amd exorcism in early modern England, this book offers modernized versions of the most significant texts on nine cases of demonic possession from 1570 to 1650. The nine stories of demonic possession were either written by eyewitnesses or derived from eyewitness reports. The modernized texts and critical Introductions are analyzed within the context of an Introduction to demonic possession in England ranging from the period 1550 to 1700.Preface; Introduction; 1. Disfigured by the Devil: the story of Alexander Nyndge; 2. Two possessed maidens in London: the story of Agnes Briggs and Rachel Pinder; 3. The witches of Warboys: the story of the Throckmorton Children; 4. The boy of Burton: the story of Thomas Darling; 5. A household possessed: the story of the Lancashire seven; 6. The counterfeit demoniac: thel[