Abstract
The most flagrant expression of superstition in the seventeenth century was not astrology but the belief in witches and witchcraft. None of these absurd tendencies can be traced in Culpeper’s work. The belief in witchcraft, however, was officially acknowledged by both King James I and Charles I.
Go, and catch a falling star,
get with child a mandrake root,
tell me, where all past years are,
or who cleft the devil’s foot.
John Donne, 1571–1631
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
Notes
W. Notestein, History of Witchcraft in England from 1558 to 1718. Washington, 1911.
F. King, The cosmic influence. New York, 1976.
B. Capp, Astrology and the popular press, English almanacs 1500–1800. London, 1979.
S. Partliz, A new method of physick. London. Translated by N. Culpeper. London, 1654.
T. Carlyle, Oliver Cromwell’s letters and speeches. Part VII, p. 316. London, 1888.
J. Parkinson, Paradisi in Sole, Paradisus Terrestris. Or a Garden of all Sorts of Pleasant Flowers. London, 1629.
C. Hill, The world turned upside down. London, 1972.
R. Boyle, cited by P. Curry, Prophecy and power, astrology in early modern England. Cambridge, 1989.
W. Harvey, Lectures on the whole of anatomy. C. D. O’Malley, F. N. L. Poynter and K. F. Russel (eds). Berkeley, 1961, p. 138.
A. Kitson, History and Astrology. London, 1989.
N. Culpeper, A Directory for midwives. London, 1651.
N. Culpeper, A Physical Directory. London, 1650.
N. Culpeper, Pharmacopoeia Londinensis. London, 1654.
Copyright information
© 1992 Olav Thulesius
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Thulesius, O. (1992). Witchcraft & Starcraft. In: Nicholas Culpeper. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/9780230371538_11
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/9780230371538_11
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, London
Print ISBN: 978-1-349-39033-5
Online ISBN: 978-0-230-37153-8
eBook Packages: Palgrave History CollectionHistory (R0)