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Excerpt from Memoirs of Extraordinary Popular Delusions — Volume 2, by Charles Mackay

The trial was instituted shortly afterwards before Mr. Justice Fenner,
when all the crazy girls of Mr. Throgmorton's family gave evidence
against Mother Samuel and her family. They were all three put to the
torture. The old woman confessed in her anguish that she was a
witch--that she had cast her spells upon the young ladies, and that she
had caused the death of Lady Cromwell. The father and daughter,
stronger in mind than their unfortunate wife and parent, refused to
confess anything, and asserted their innocence to the last. They were
all three condemned to be hanged, and their bodies burned. The
daughter, who was young and good-looking, excited the pity of many
persons, and she was advised to plead pregnancy, that she might gain at
least a respite from death. The poor girl refused proudly, on the
ground that she would not be accounted both a witch and a strumpet.
Her half-witted old mother caught at the idea of a few weeks' longer
life, and asserted that she was pregnant. The court was convulsed with
laughter, in which the wretched victim herself joined, and this was
accounted an additional proof that she was a witch. The whole family
were executed on the 7th of April, 1593.

Sir Samuel Cromwell, as lord of the manor, received the sum of 40
pounds out of the confiscated property of the Samuels, which he turned
into a rent-charge of 40 shillings yearly, for the endowment of an
annual sermon or lecture upon the enormity of witchcraft, and this case
in particular, to be preached by a doctor or bachelor of divinity of
Queen's College, Cambridge. I have not been able to ascertain the exact
date at which this annual lecture was discontinued, but it appears to
have been preached so late as 1718, when Dr. Hutchinson published his
work upon witchcraft.

To carry on in proper chronological order the history of the witch
delusion in the British isles, it will be necessary to examine into
what was taking place in Scotland during all that part of the sixteenth
century anterior to the accession of James VI. to the crown of England.
We naturally expect that the Scotch,--a people renowned from the
earliest times for their powers of imagination,--should be more deeply
imbued with this gloomy superstition than their neighhours of the
South. The nature of their soil and climate tended to encourage the
dreams of early ignorance. Ghosts, goblins, wraiths, kelpies, and a
whole host of spiritual beings, were familiar to the dwellers by the
misty glens of the Highlands and the romantic streams of the Lowlands.
Their deeds, whether of good or ill, were enshrined in song, and took a
greater hold upon the imagination because "verse had sanctified them."
But it was not till the religious reformers began the practice of
straining Scripture to the severest extremes, that the arm of the law
was called upon to punish witchcraft as a crime per se. What Pope
Innocent VIII. had done for Germany and France, the preachers of the
Reformation did for the Scottish people. Witchcraft, instead of being a
mere article of faith, became enrolled in the statute book; and all
good subjects and true Christians were called upon to take arms against
it. The ninth Parliament of Queen Mary passed an act in 1563, which
decreed the punishment of death against witches and consulters with
witches, and immediately the whole bulk of the people were smitten with
an epidemic fear of the devil and his mortal agents. Persons in the
highest ranks of life shared and encouraged the delusion of the vulgar.
Many were themselves accused of witchcraft; and noble ladies were shown
to have dabbled in mystic arts, and proved to the world that, if they
were not witches, it was not for want of the will.

Explanation ​

Context of the Source ​

Charles Mackay’s Memoirs of Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds (1841) is a historical account of mass hysteria, superstition, and collective irrationality across different eras. Volume 2 focuses on witchcraft trials, financial bubbles (like the South Sea Bubble), and other forms of societal delusion. The excerpt provided recounts a 16th-century English witch trial—the case of Mother Samuel and her family—and transitions into a broader discussion of witchcraft persecution in Scotland.

Mackay, a Scottish journalist and poet, wrote during the Victorian era, a time when Enlightenment rationalism had largely discredited witchcraft beliefs. His work serves as both a historical record and a cautionary tale about how fear, superstition, and institutional power can lead to injustice.

Breakdown of the Excerpt ​

1. The Trial of Mother Samuel and Her Family ​

Text:

"The trial was instituted shortly afterwards before Mr. Justice Fenner, when all the crazy girls of Mr. Throgmorton's family gave evidence against Mother Samuel and her family. They were all three put to the torture. The old woman confessed in her anguish that she was a witch—that she had cast her spells upon the young ladies, and that she had caused the death of Lady Cromwell. The father and daughter, stronger in mind than their unfortunate wife and parent, refused to confess anything, and asserted their innocence to the last."

Explanation & Analysis:

  • Accusations & "Evidence": The trial is based on the testimony of "crazy girls" from the Throgmorton family, suggesting that the accusers may have been mentally unstable, hysterical, or manipulated. This reflects a common pattern in witch trials, where vulnerable individuals (often young women) were prone to mass hysteria (e.g., the Salem witch trials).

    • The term "crazy" is significant—it implies that the accusations were not rational but driven by delusion.

  • Torture & Forced Confessions: The family is "put to the torture", a brutal method used to extract confessions. The old woman (Mother Samuel) confesses under duress, admitting to witchcraft and even implicating herself in the death of Lady Cromwell (likely a noblewoman, possibly related to Oliver Cromwell’s family, though this predates his rise).

    • Her confession is unreliable—it was coerced through pain, a common issue in witch trials where "proof" was often extracted through suffering.
    • The father and daughter refuse to confess, demonstrating moral resilience. Their refusal highlights the injustice of the system, where innocence was no defense.

  • Themes:

    • Power & Oppression: The state and legal system use torture to manufacture guilt.
    • Gender & Vulnerability: Women (especially old, poor, or marginalized ones) were frequent targets of witchcraft accusations.
    • Superstition vs. Reason: The trial is a product of irrational fear rather than evidence.

Literary Devices:

  • Irony: The "justice" system relies on torture to produce "truth."
  • Pathos: The suffering of the family, particularly the old woman’s forced confession, evokes sympathy.

2. The Execution & Public Reaction ​

Text:

"They were all three condemned to be hanged, and their bodies burned. The daughter, who was young and good-looking, excited the pity of many persons, and she was advised to plead pregnancy, that she might gain at least a respite from death. The poor girl refused proudly, on the ground that she would not be accounted both a witch and a strumpet. Her half-witted old mother caught at the idea of a few weeks' longer life, and asserted that she was pregnant. The court was convulsed with laughter, in which the wretched victim herself joined, and this was accounted an additional proof that she was a witch."

Explanation & Analysis:

  • Sentencing & Brutality: The punishment—hanging and burning—was standard for convicted witches, meant to "purify" their souls while destroying their bodies. The dual punishment reflects the belief that witches were in league with the devil.

  • The Daughter’s Dilemma: The young daughter is offered a chance to delay execution by claiming pregnancy (a common legal tactic at the time).

    • She refuses, saying she won’t be called "both a witch and a strumpet" (a prostitute). This reveals:
      • Moral Integrity: She would rather die than be falsely labeled.
      • Sexual Slander: Accusations of witchcraft often carried sexual undertones (e.g., witches were thought to copulate with the devil).
    • Her defiance is tragic heroism—she chooses dignity over survival.

  • The Mother’s Desperation: The old mother, described as "half-witted", seizes the pregnancy claim, hoping for a reprieve.

    • The court laughs at her, and she laughs along, which is then taken as proof of witchcraft (since witches were thought to mock authority).
    • This is darkly ironic—her desperation is twisted into further "evidence" of guilt.

  • Themes:

    • Injustice & Misogyny: Women’s bodies and reputations are weaponized against them.
    • Absurdity of Superstition: The court’s logic is circular—any behavior (even laughter) can be "proof" of witchcraft.
    • Class & Power: The accused are poor and powerless, while the accusers (Throgmortons, Cromwell) are elite.

Literary Devices:

  • Dramatic Irony: The reader knows the accusations are false, but the court treats them as truth.
  • Tragedy: The daughter’s noble refusal leads to her death, while the mother’s desperation makes her a laughingstock.
  • Satire: Mackay subtly mocks the absurdity of the trial (e.g., laughter as "proof").

3. The Aftermath: Profit & Perpetuation of Superstition ​

Text:

"Sir Samuel Cromwell, as lord of the manor, received the sum of 40 pounds out of the confiscated property of the Samuels, which he turned into a rent-charge of 40 shillings yearly, for the endowment of an annual sermon or lecture upon the enormity of witchcraft, and this case in particular, to be preached by a doctor or bachelor of divinity of Queen's College, Cambridge."

Explanation & Analysis:

  • Financial Gain from Injustice:Sir Samuel Cromwell (possibly an ancestor of Oliver Cromwell) profits from the execution by seizing the family’s property.

    • He uses the money to fund an annual sermon on witchcraft, ensuring the perpetuation of the delusion.
    • This reveals how institutions (church, state) benefited from witch hunts, both financially and ideologically.

  • The Lecture as Propaganda: The sermon is meant to reinforce the danger of witchcraft, using this case as an example.

    • It was preached at Queen’s College, Cambridge, a prestigious institution, lending academic legitimacy to superstition.
    • Mackay notes it continued until at least 1718, showing how long these beliefs persisted.

  • Themes:

    • Institutionalized Fear: The church and state collaborate to maintain control through superstition.
    • Exploitation of the Powerless: The poor are executed, while the elite profit.
    • Cultural Memory: The sermon ensures the story is retold, embedding the myth of witchcraft in society.

Literary Devices:

  • Symbolism: The 40 pounds → 40 shillings represents how injustice is monetized and ritualized.
  • Foreshadowing: The mention of James VI (later James I of England) hints at the coming wave of witch trials under his reign (he wrote Daemonologie, a witch-hunting manual).

4. Transition to Scotland: Superstition & State-Sanctioned Persecution ​

Text:

"To carry on in proper chronological order the history of the witch delusion in the British isles, it will be necessary to examine into what was taking place in Scotland during all that part of the sixteenth century anterior to the accession of James VI. to the crown of England. We naturally expect that the Scotch,--a people renowned from the earliest times for their powers of imagination,--should be more deeply imbued with this gloomy superstition than their neighhours of the South."

Explanation & Analysis:

  • Cultural Stereotypes: Mackay suggests Scotland was more superstitious than England due to:

    • "Powers of imagination" (a romanticized view of Scots as mystical).
    • Harsh climate & landscapes ("misty glens," "romantic streams"), which fostered beliefs in ghosts, goblins, and wraiths.
    • Oral tradition & folklore: Supernatural tales were preserved in song and verse, making them seem more real.

  • Religious Reformation & Legalized Persecution:

    • Before the Reformation, witchcraft was a folk belief, not a crime.
    • Protestant reformers (like John Knox) weaponized Scripture to justify witch hunts.
    • 1563 Witchcraft Act (under Queen Mary): Made witchcraft a capital crime, leading to mass executions.
    • Elite Involvement: Even noble ladies were accused, showing how paranoia crossed class lines.

  • Themes:

    • National Character & Superstition: Mackay ties Scottish identity to its supernatural folklore.
    • Religion as a Tool of Control: The Reformation didn’t liberate people—it intensified persecution under a new doctrine.
    • Mass Hysteria: The "epidemic fear" spreads through all levels of society.

Literary Devices:

  • Contrast: Scotland’s romanticized imagination vs. the brutal reality of executions.
  • Historical Parallel: Compares Scottish witch hunts to those in Germany/France (under Pope Innocent VIII), showing a Europe-wide phenomenon.

Significance of the Excerpt ​

  1. Historical Record of Injustice:

    • Documents how legal systems, religion, and class power combined to persecute the innocent.
    • Shows the arbitrary nature of "evidence" in witch trials.

  2. Critique of Superstition & Mob Mentality:

    • Mackay, writing in the age of reason, exposes the absurdity of past beliefs.
    • Warns about the dangers of collective delusion (relevant to his time’s fears, like financial panics).

  3. Gender & Social Oppression:

    • Highlights how women, the poor, and the mentally ill were scapegoated.
    • The daughter’s refusal to be labeled a "strumpet" reflects the sexualization of witchcraft accusations.

  4. Institutional Hypocrisy:

    • The church profits from executions (via sermons).
    • The state legitimizes violence through law (e.g., the 1563 Witchcraft Act).

  5. Literary Influence:

    • Mackay’s work influenced later studies of mass psychology (e.g., Gustave Le Bon’s The Crowd).
    • His satirical, ironic tone prefigures modern critiques of fake news and moral panics.

Conclusion: Why This Matters Today ​

Mackay’s account is not just a historical footnote—it’s a mirror to human nature. The excerpt shows how:

  • Fear + Power = Injustice (e.g., modern "witch hunts" like McCarthyism or social media cancellations).
  • Institutions exploit superstition (e.g., propaganda, conspiracy theories).
  • The vulnerable are sacrificed to maintain order.

The daughter’s defiance, the mother’s tragic laughter, and the court’s cruelty all serve as timeless warnings about the dangers of irrationality when wielded by those in power.