Popular Magic Cunning-folk in English History [Paperback]

Cunning-folk were local practitioners of magic, providing small-scale but valued service to the community. They were far more representative of magical practice than the arcane delvings of astrologers and necromancers. Mostly unsensational in their approach, cunning-folk helped people with everyday problems: how to find lost objects; how to escape from bad luck or a suspected spell; and how to attract a lover or keep the love of a husband or wife.
While cunning-folk sometimes fell foul of the authorities, both church and state often turned a blind eye to their existence and practices, distinguishing what they did from the rare and sensational cases of malvolent witchcraft. In a world of uncertainty, before insurance and modern science, cunning-folk played an important role that has previously been ignored.

Introduction
Acknowledgements
1. Cunning-Folk and the Law
2. For Good or Evil?
3. Who and Why
4. Services
5. Books
6. Written Charms
7. European Comparisons
8. Cunning-Folk in the Twentieth Century
Notes
Bibliography
Index