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Witches, a tale of Scandal, Sorcery and Seduction
September 1613.
In Belvoir Castle, the heir of one of England’s great noble families falls suddenly and dangerously ill. His body is ‘tormented’ with violent convulsions. Within a few short weeks he will suffer an excruciating death. Soon the whole family will be stricken with the same terrifying symptoms. The second son, the last male of the line, will not survive.
It is said witches are to blame. And so the Earl of Rutland’s sons will not be the last to die.
Witches traces the dramatic events which unfolded at one of England’s oldest and most spectacular castles four hundred years ago. The case is among those which constitute the European witch craze of the 15th-18th centuries, when suspected witches were burned, hanged, or tortured by the thousand. Like those other cases, it is a tale of superstition, the darkest limits of the human imagination and, ultimately, injustice – a reminder of how paranoia and hysteria can create an environment in which nonconformism spells death. But as Tracy Borman reveals here, it is not quite typical. The most powerful and Machiavellian figure of the Jacobean court had a vested interest in events at Belvoir.He would mastermind a conspiracy that has remained hidden for centuries.
In Belvoir Castle, the heir of one of England’s great noble families falls suddenly and dangerously ill. His body is ‘tormented’ with violent convulsions. Within a few short weeks he will suffer an excruciating death. Soon the whole family will be stricken with the same terrifying symptoms. The second son, the last male of the line, will not survive.
It is said witches are to blame. And so the Earl of Rutland’s sons will not be the last to die.
Witches traces the dramatic events which unfolded at one of England’s oldest and most spectacular castles four hundred years ago. The case is among those which constitute the European witch craze of the 15th-18th centuries, when suspected witches were burned, hanged, or tortured by the thousand. Like those other cases, it is a tale of superstition, the darkest limits of the human imagination and, ultimately, injustice – a reminder of how paranoia and hysteria can create an environment in which nonconformism spells death. But as Tracy Borman reveals here, it is not quite typical. The most powerful and Machiavellian figure of the Jacobean court had a vested interest in events at Belvoir.He would mastermind a conspiracy that has remained hidden for centuries.
352 pages, Unknown Binding
First published August 29, 2013
171 people are currently reading
2685 people want to read
About the author
Tracy Borman
23 books844 followersTracy Borman, PhD, FRHistS, FSA is a historian and author from Scothern, United Kingdom. She is most widely known as the author of Elizabeth's Women.
Borman was born and brought up in the village of Scothern, England near Lincoln. She was educated at Scothern Primary School (now Ellison Boulters School), William Farr School, Welton, and Yarborough School, Lincoln. She taught history at the University of Hull, where she was awarded a Ph.D in 1997. Elizabeth's Women was serialized and became a BBC Radio 4 Book of the Week in September 2009. Tracy Borman appeared on BBC Radio 4's Woman's Hour, also in September 2009
Borman was born and brought up in the village of Scothern, England near Lincoln. She was educated at Scothern Primary School (now Ellison Boulters School), William Farr School, Welton, and Yarborough School, Lincoln. She taught history at the University of Hull, where she was awarded a Ph.D in 1997. Elizabeth's Women was serialized and became a BBC Radio 4 Book of the Week in September 2009. Tracy Borman appeared on BBC Radio 4's Woman's Hour, also in September 2009
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 143 reviews
September 14, 2022
This book mainly covers the trials of the Belvoir witches, and I found this to be a rather in depth study, which pleased me greatly, as I find the 15th-18th centuries witch hunts fascinating. I find it incredibly interesting to read about suspected witches that were out on trial.
Borman describes how people living during that time felt such panic of thinking that there could be witches living among them. It's interesting that so many believed in witches back then, and actually, in some parts of the world, some people still do.
You were more likely to be labelled a witch if you were ageing, if you used herbal medicine, or if you enjoyed sexual pleasure for what it is, and not just to reproduce. When one thinks about it, it's very sad and unsettling to think how easy it would have been back then to accuse a woman you had some sort of grievance with of being a witch, and unfortunately, these grievances probably cost some of those women their lives.
This was a well researched book, and although I felt the content went a little off topic at times, I read a lot about the witch hunts that I didn't know about until now.
Borman describes how people living during that time felt such panic of thinking that there could be witches living among them. It's interesting that so many believed in witches back then, and actually, in some parts of the world, some people still do.
You were more likely to be labelled a witch if you were ageing, if you used herbal medicine, or if you enjoyed sexual pleasure for what it is, and not just to reproduce. When one thinks about it, it's very sad and unsettling to think how easy it would have been back then to accuse a woman you had some sort of grievance with of being a witch, and unfortunately, these grievances probably cost some of those women their lives.
This was a well researched book, and although I felt the content went a little off topic at times, I read a lot about the witch hunts that I didn't know about until now.
October 2, 2015
Tracy Borman gave a talk on this book at the 2013 Lincoln Book Festival, which I attended with my Mum, who now works at Lincoln Castle where two of the three women this book focusses on, Margaret and Phillipa Flower, were imprisoned and executed as witches (their mother, Joan Flower, died on the way to gaol). In her talk, Borman captivatingly discussed the threat 'cunning women', those who knew herb lore, provided love charms, helped at childbirths and sickbeds and such, posed to the patriarchal order of church and state. I was hoping to find more of the same in her book, which is has taken me a very long time to read!
However, rather than elaborating this feminist theory, the book narrates and dramatises material from Borman's impressively detailed research into the case of the Flower women and the context of witch hunting, especially during the reign of James I, author of a treatise on witchcraft called Daemonology
The style is journalistic and rhetorical attempting to pump extra excitement into the (sometimes unecessary in my view) explanatory comments as well as the complicated series of events involved. The focus is narrow but the scope is wide, and Borman does an admirable job of positioning her core story in a vast sweep of background. I hadn't realised how pervasive and important the concept of witchcraft has been in Britain and more generally in Europe. The most important theme is that of 'witches' as scapegoats, victims of religious fanaticism, and of their exploitation to uphold the power of crown, church, and key figures within those institutions seeking to boost their popularity or credibility. The figure of the witch has been put hard to work, and she* has not finished. Borman insists the story is not over, with petitioners demanding an apology from the UK government for the injustices done through witch hunts and trials as recently as 2008. Rather than draw conclusions, Borman simply notes that the witch remains a fairytale villain, but there is plenty of room to consider the consequences. Phillip Pullman beautifully rehabilitated the witch in Northern Lights ; his witches are women out of time, independent and sexually liberated, flying through the freezing night under a billowing canopy of coloured light. Yet when I told my 10-year-old-triplet girl students 'I love witches' they were scornful and disgusted. One way or another, this tale and others like it continue to reach deep into our imaginaries
*in England and Scotland, women very greatly outnumbered men among those arrested, tried and executed for witchcraft, less so on the continent.
However, rather than elaborating this feminist theory, the book narrates and dramatises material from Borman's impressively detailed research into the case of the Flower women and the context of witch hunting, especially during the reign of James I, author of a treatise on witchcraft called Daemonology
The style is journalistic and rhetorical attempting to pump extra excitement into the (sometimes unecessary in my view) explanatory comments as well as the complicated series of events involved. The focus is narrow but the scope is wide, and Borman does an admirable job of positioning her core story in a vast sweep of background. I hadn't realised how pervasive and important the concept of witchcraft has been in Britain and more generally in Europe. The most important theme is that of 'witches' as scapegoats, victims of religious fanaticism, and of their exploitation to uphold the power of crown, church, and key figures within those institutions seeking to boost their popularity or credibility. The figure of the witch has been put hard to work, and she* has not finished. Borman insists the story is not over, with petitioners demanding an apology from the UK government for the injustices done through witch hunts and trials as recently as 2008. Rather than draw conclusions, Borman simply notes that the witch remains a fairytale villain, but there is plenty of room to consider the consequences. Phillip Pullman beautifully rehabilitated the witch in Northern Lights ; his witches are women out of time, independent and sexually liberated, flying through the freezing night under a billowing canopy of coloured light. Yet when I told my 10-year-old-triplet girl students 'I love witches' they were scornful and disgusted. One way or another, this tale and others like it continue to reach deep into our imaginaries
*in England and Scotland, women very greatly outnumbered men among those arrested, tried and executed for witchcraft, less so on the continent.
June 3, 2023
3.5 stars rounded up. It's an interesting topic and told ulin a somewhat engaging way but something about it kept me from completely love it.
July 10, 2017
Starting with the positive first, the book was an interesting read about a family and a witch trial I knew little if anything about. Plenty of sources but also easy to get through. However, I was expecting this to focus on James I and the trials he was more involved in and not the Manners family. I also found Borman speculated way too often, and that she failed to understand the concept of internalised misogyny, stating at one point that the accusations made against women weren't necessarily sexist because they were often made by other women… (Insert eye roll here.)
So while interesting and informative, I wasn't a huge fan of Bowman's writing.
So while interesting and informative, I wasn't a huge fan of Bowman's writing.
April 13, 2024
This book provides an overview of the English witchcraft persecutions under James I/VI, using as a narrative thread the trials of the Belvoir witches (Joan, Margaret and Phillipa Flower) accused of bewitching the Duke of Rutland's sons. The book also examines the cultural, religious, legal circumstances, as well as royal influence, of the times as pertaining to the witchcraft in mainly England and to a lesser degree, continental Europe and Scotland. Due to lack of surviving documentation, a fair bit of the Belvoir witches' trial is speculation. The topic is interesting, but the writing style is uninspiring, and the organisation of the material is erratic and meandering.
September 27, 2022
Despite the subtitle on my copy - James I and the English Witch Hunts - which lead me to expect more of a focus on the detail of James I of England/VI of Scotland's involvement in witch trials, this is more a general study of the witchcraft persecutions in both England, Scotland and the Continent, with an acknowledgement of the later outbreak in Salem. As such it is a good grounding in the subject with an examination of the way the persecutions focused on women and used women's supposed inferiorities as an explanation of their predilection to direct malice against others, form pacts with the devil, etc.
The author also mentions various men who were sceptics - I knew of the most famous, Reginald Scot, whose 'The Discoverie of Witchcraft' drew the ire of King James because of its massive debunking of the witch craze - but not of the others.
The book does give the impression at the beginning of being an in-depth examination of the case of the Flower women who were accused of bewitching the sons of the Duke of Rutland, with tragic consequences. In practice not a great deal of the book is devoted to this case, partly due to the fact that, despite its being unusual in involving a favoured nobleman and his wife as accusers rather than village compatriots, the court papers were destroyed in the early 19th century by a clerk who decided everything prior to 60 years previous could be junked as useless and the only source is a sensationalist pamphlet which went into several editions as a best seller.
That was probably the biggest lesson taken away from the book for me, that our understanding of history is fragile and fragmentary, given the existence of vandals such as this - so many records have been lost and we don't know what really happened. That is the case with the Flowers also - it isn't known, for example, if the mother, Joan, really called for bread in an attempt to prove her innocence and choked or if her death was due to mistreatment by her captors. So I found this an interesting book, but a little disjointed in terms of where its focus lay and accordingly a 3 star read.
The author also mentions various men who were sceptics - I knew of the most famous, Reginald Scot, whose 'The Discoverie of Witchcraft' drew the ire of King James because of its massive debunking of the witch craze - but not of the others.
The book does give the impression at the beginning of being an in-depth examination of the case of the Flower women who were accused of bewitching the sons of the Duke of Rutland, with tragic consequences. In practice not a great deal of the book is devoted to this case, partly due to the fact that, despite its being unusual in involving a favoured nobleman and his wife as accusers rather than village compatriots, the court papers were destroyed in the early 19th century by a clerk who decided everything prior to 60 years previous could be junked as useless and the only source is a sensationalist pamphlet which went into several editions as a best seller.
That was probably the biggest lesson taken away from the book for me, that our understanding of history is fragile and fragmentary, given the existence of vandals such as this - so many records have been lost and we don't know what really happened. That is the case with the Flowers also - it isn't known, for example, if the mother, Joan, really called for bread in an attempt to prove her innocence and choked or if her death was due to mistreatment by her captors. So I found this an interesting book, but a little disjointed in terms of where its focus lay and accordingly a 3 star read.
February 2, 2016
In 1613, the aristocratic Manners family of Belvoir Castle was plunged into crisis. Both their sons died within months of each other of sudden, unspecified illnesses and local witch Joan Flower, plus her two daughters Margaret and Philippa, were suspected of cursing the boys to death. All three women were captured, an experience that Joan did not survive, but a worse fate lay in store for her children. Tracy Borman's book, despite the title, does not focus very much on the Flower women or the trial of Margaret and Philippa but instead it is mostly a history of witchcraft, especially once James VI of Scotland became James I of England. James was an extremely odd man, the product of an awful childhood, who became obsessed with the power of witches when he visited his wife's native Denmark. He afterward wrote a seminal book on witchcraft, called 'Demonologie', which greatly influenced attitudes and led to the deaths of several women. Tracy Borman outlines all of this very well, and I was fascinated by much of it, but I did feel it detracted a little from the ostensible basis of the book: the Flower family and the goings on at Belvoir Castle. I would've liked that aspect of the tale to have taken greater precedence.
February 19, 2019
Review written in 2014
In September 1613, in Belvoir Castle in the north-eastern corner of Leicestershire, the heir of ‘one of England’s great noble families falls suddenly and dangerously ill. Within a few short weeks he will suffer an excrutiating death’. His entire family then succumb to the same ‘terrifying symptoms’, and the blame is soon pressed upon a local family of women, believed to be witches. This case is the one which Tracy Borman has decided to focus upon in her newest book, Witches: James I and the English Witch Hunts, and has aimed to bring to light ‘a conspiracy that has remained hidden for centuries’.
The widespread European ‘witch craze’ which Borman discusses within her introduction, took place between the 15th and 18th centuries. She then sets out the often barbaric historical events which occurred during this period: in the south of Germany, for example, '63 women were executed as witches between 1562 and 1563 for causing a violent hailstorm’. Borman also muses upon the subject of what a witch is – a ‘deceptively simple question’, she believes – and the distinction between white (good) and black (bad) witches.
Borman writes of the way in which ‘suspected witches were believed to have caused many thousands of deaths, injuries and illnesses in England alone during the sixteenth and seventeenth century. Little wonder that they were feared and reviled in equal measure’. James I, who ruled England and Ireland between 1603 and 1625, was ‘one of the most famous witch hunters in history’, whose ‘personal crusade’ meant that thousands of women in both England and Scotland were murdered on suspicion of witchcraft. Borman discusses the conditions which led to his fanaticism with regard to witches, and the ways in which he went about eradicating them.
Embroiled within this were the Manners family, who lived within Belvoir Castle. Francis Manners, the sixth Earl of Rutland, believed that ‘wicked practice and sorcerye’ was to blame for the deaths of his two infant sons. Their ‘alleged murderers’ were Joan Flower and her two daughters, Margaret and Phillipa, who have come to be known as ‘the witches of Belvoir’. Borman believes that the case of the Belvoir witches has been overshadowed by the more notorious cases throughout history – that of the 1612 Pendle Witch Trials, for example. She believes that the Belvoir trial is ‘one of the most extraordinary’ to take place during the entire seventeenth century, merely due to the ‘murderous conspiracy’ at its heart.
Witches has been split into fourteen chapters, some of which are relatively concise. Borman has also included, as one would expect, an extensive section of notes and a thorough bibliography. Throughout, she makes use of quotes from varied sources – those of the period, and the more contemporary introspectives which have been made into the history of witchcraft. Borman takes into account the social standing of women at the time, and the way in which very few trial records were kept by councils across the country. Throughout, she considers many points: the standard diet and the scarcity of food within Britain, the advent of the Plague, the tight-knit communities around the country, the nationwide growth of population, the high rates of unemployment, high death rates, superstition and how people were affected by religious change. As well as focusing upon Britain, Borman constantly asserts the situation within the rest of Europe too.
Witches has been well received by critics, and it is easy to see why; Borman’s interesting and thorough account is really well written, and is both scholarly and easily accessible. She has created a rich sense of history, and has put together her sources and own opinion incredibly well.
In September 1613, in Belvoir Castle in the north-eastern corner of Leicestershire, the heir of ‘one of England’s great noble families falls suddenly and dangerously ill. Within a few short weeks he will suffer an excrutiating death’. His entire family then succumb to the same ‘terrifying symptoms’, and the blame is soon pressed upon a local family of women, believed to be witches. This case is the one which Tracy Borman has decided to focus upon in her newest book, Witches: James I and the English Witch Hunts, and has aimed to bring to light ‘a conspiracy that has remained hidden for centuries’.
The widespread European ‘witch craze’ which Borman discusses within her introduction, took place between the 15th and 18th centuries. She then sets out the often barbaric historical events which occurred during this period: in the south of Germany, for example, '63 women were executed as witches between 1562 and 1563 for causing a violent hailstorm’. Borman also muses upon the subject of what a witch is – a ‘deceptively simple question’, she believes – and the distinction between white (good) and black (bad) witches.
Borman writes of the way in which ‘suspected witches were believed to have caused many thousands of deaths, injuries and illnesses in England alone during the sixteenth and seventeenth century. Little wonder that they were feared and reviled in equal measure’. James I, who ruled England and Ireland between 1603 and 1625, was ‘one of the most famous witch hunters in history’, whose ‘personal crusade’ meant that thousands of women in both England and Scotland were murdered on suspicion of witchcraft. Borman discusses the conditions which led to his fanaticism with regard to witches, and the ways in which he went about eradicating them.
Embroiled within this were the Manners family, who lived within Belvoir Castle. Francis Manners, the sixth Earl of Rutland, believed that ‘wicked practice and sorcerye’ was to blame for the deaths of his two infant sons. Their ‘alleged murderers’ were Joan Flower and her two daughters, Margaret and Phillipa, who have come to be known as ‘the witches of Belvoir’. Borman believes that the case of the Belvoir witches has been overshadowed by the more notorious cases throughout history – that of the 1612 Pendle Witch Trials, for example. She believes that the Belvoir trial is ‘one of the most extraordinary’ to take place during the entire seventeenth century, merely due to the ‘murderous conspiracy’ at its heart.
Witches has been split into fourteen chapters, some of which are relatively concise. Borman has also included, as one would expect, an extensive section of notes and a thorough bibliography. Throughout, she makes use of quotes from varied sources – those of the period, and the more contemporary introspectives which have been made into the history of witchcraft. Borman takes into account the social standing of women at the time, and the way in which very few trial records were kept by councils across the country. Throughout, she considers many points: the standard diet and the scarcity of food within Britain, the advent of the Plague, the tight-knit communities around the country, the nationwide growth of population, the high rates of unemployment, high death rates, superstition and how people were affected by religious change. As well as focusing upon Britain, Borman constantly asserts the situation within the rest of Europe too.
Witches has been well received by critics, and it is easy to see why; Borman’s interesting and thorough account is really well written, and is both scholarly and easily accessible. She has created a rich sense of history, and has put together her sources and own opinion incredibly well.
November 9, 2022
For anyone who wants to delve into some cool and remarkable history of Witchcraft, then this is an excellent book. Beginning with the story of the Belvoir Witches, one of the lesser known cases of three women, a Mother and two Daughters, heinously accused of causing the deaths of the two sons of Francis Manners, 6th Earl of Rutland.
The 1600s was a time of terrible conspiracy, meddling superstition, civil unrest and the rise of insidious plagues across a predominantly poor society.
This is truly one of the most fascinating reads on Witchcraft- getting to grips with just how low the quality of life was for a huge proportion of people and how this misery ultimately led to the Jacobean age becoming one of the most grisly and horrifying periods of British history. Women tried on the grounds of sorcery with very little to no evidence to convict them.
I don’t know about you, but I love reading historical accounts and stories of those tried by hearsay. I had only ever heard about the Witch Trials of Salem and Pendle, so this has unearthed a lot more hidden and unsettling history. Not only does it stir up such a rich imagination of the time period, imagining the dominance of religion, but it’s astonishing how many people became afflicted by fear of “ evil potents” and worse, death 🍂
The 1600s was a time of terrible conspiracy, meddling superstition, civil unrest and the rise of insidious plagues across a predominantly poor society.
This is truly one of the most fascinating reads on Witchcraft- getting to grips with just how low the quality of life was for a huge proportion of people and how this misery ultimately led to the Jacobean age becoming one of the most grisly and horrifying periods of British history. Women tried on the grounds of sorcery with very little to no evidence to convict them.
I don’t know about you, but I love reading historical accounts and stories of those tried by hearsay. I had only ever heard about the Witch Trials of Salem and Pendle, so this has unearthed a lot more hidden and unsettling history. Not only does it stir up such a rich imagination of the time period, imagining the dominance of religion, but it’s astonishing how many people became afflicted by fear of “ evil potents” and worse, death 🍂
July 8, 2021
I am a History teacher about to tackle this topic at A level for the first time, and have been trying to find a good primer on the subject. I found this to be an engaging and well written introduction to the topic of witchcraft. Although the book is focussed on the Belvoir case, it also zooms out to look at rise and fall of witch hunts across Europe and America.
It's well researched with some fascinating, and disturbing, sources. It's a difficult balancing act to please both the general reader and also those with a more academic interest in the subject, but I think Borman pulls it off.
I enjoyed this enough that I am now considering a school trip to visit many of the places in the book - Warboys, Belvoir castle, Botteston, Lincoln etc. This book will be coming along as a handy reference guide.
It's well researched with some fascinating, and disturbing, sources. It's a difficult balancing act to please both the general reader and also those with a more academic interest in the subject, but I think Borman pulls it off.
I enjoyed this enough that I am now considering a school trip to visit many of the places in the book - Warboys, Belvoir castle, Botteston, Lincoln etc. This book will be coming along as a handy reference guide.
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April 20, 2022Good book. Tackles the myths of the poor women who didn't fit in with society, had pets that they gave names too, albeit some daft, the locals needing a scapegoat use them. The difference in this book is that the manners family were the only aristocratic family to put a claim again one of their employee, a women names Flower who had a bit of a sharp tongue, became hated among the other servants because she got on well with the family. One can easily see that this still goes on today, except we don't hang em.
If you don't conform then you will get picked on, either in a work environment, or private, being different can get you labeled.
A great read. Well presented and also discuses other trials.
If you don't conform then you will get picked on, either in a work environment, or private, being different can get you labeled.
A great read. Well presented and also discuses other trials.
August 17, 2025
Interesting!!
Most accounts of witchcraft are very America-centric so was nice to learn more about the practice in England.
Unconvinced by the author’s argument that just because women themselves were often the primary accusers in witchcraft cases, that attacks on ageing, often single or sexually ‘promisicuous’ women was not misogynistic. she addresses this from the angle of witchcraft accusations being the one area where women had a sense of power, but avoided a discussion on the purveyance of internalised misogyny (especially at a time women’s fates were wholly determined by the whims of men - aka the judges in all witchcraft trials). granted this is more of a narrative account of the Flower women’s story rather than a feminist piece, but does feel like quite a major oversight to the conversation.
I’ve seen some reviews complain about the irrelevant tangents, but tbh I really enjoyed the learning about the Manners’ family, as well as Katherine and George Villiers’ marriage.
Also Bishops Stortford mention!!! (literally one sentence but i’ll take it, cheers Francis Manners for dying there!).
Most accounts of witchcraft are very America-centric so was nice to learn more about the practice in England.
Unconvinced by the author’s argument that just because women themselves were often the primary accusers in witchcraft cases, that attacks on ageing, often single or sexually ‘promisicuous’ women was not misogynistic. she addresses this from the angle of witchcraft accusations being the one area where women had a sense of power, but avoided a discussion on the purveyance of internalised misogyny (especially at a time women’s fates were wholly determined by the whims of men - aka the judges in all witchcraft trials). granted this is more of a narrative account of the Flower women’s story rather than a feminist piece, but does feel like quite a major oversight to the conversation.
I’ve seen some reviews complain about the irrelevant tangents, but tbh I really enjoyed the learning about the Manners’ family, as well as Katherine and George Villiers’ marriage.
Also Bishops Stortford mention!!! (literally one sentence but i’ll take it, cheers Francis Manners for dying there!).
October 11, 2019
Mostly fascinating, especially since I live locally to the area all the events happened. Accessible but in-depth analysis of the witchcraft persecution of the 16 & 17th centuries, seen through the lens of this particular high-profile case.
Did become a little prone to repitition as it went on, and I could have done without the Seriously Ominous Foreshadowing at the end of each chapter - I think we all know it's not going to end well, ta.
Also, minor points in the overall narrative but I found them irritating - the author has apparently never heard of bisexuality or internalised misogyny!
Did become a little prone to repitition as it went on, and I could have done without the Seriously Ominous Foreshadowing at the end of each chapter - I think we all know it's not going to end well, ta.
Also, minor points in the overall narrative but I found them irritating - the author has apparently never heard of bisexuality or internalised misogyny!
March 19, 2024
3.5
Took a little longer than usual to finish this book, especially one of its size and subject. Regrettably, overall I am no historian or history buff - but the contextual contents of this book and the theories posed within did get me thinking a few times about a few notions.
That being said, I guess it can be surmised and understood that that is the job and role of any book; to make you think.
Silly notions and though experiments abound, definitely for the fan of witchcraft, historical feminism, history of superstition within the United Kingdom/England.
Surprised this wasn’t sold at Waterstones - definitely should have its place there too just as much as it was in The Works or Bargain Books !
Took a little longer than usual to finish this book, especially one of its size and subject. Regrettably, overall I am no historian or history buff - but the contextual contents of this book and the theories posed within did get me thinking a few times about a few notions.
That being said, I guess it can be surmised and understood that that is the job and role of any book; to make you think.
Silly notions and though experiments abound, definitely for the fan of witchcraft, historical feminism, history of superstition within the United Kingdom/England.
Surprised this wasn’t sold at Waterstones - definitely should have its place there too just as much as it was in The Works or Bargain Books !
October 15, 2022
It's a good book if you want to learn more about witch trials.The story itself is only 241 pages.The rest of the book is just Notes & Sources, Bibliography,Index and Acknowledgements.
September 6, 2015
Whilst the book is titled 'James I and the English Witch Hunts' it is actually more of an in depth look at the trial of the Belvoir witches. Whilst I say this, I must add that the author provides a lot of background and context to both English and (particularly) Scottish witch-trials, and also to a limited extent witch hunting on the continent. I notice that this is something of a bone of contention among the reviews here, however personally I think that it is useful to place the trials within some kind of context.
The book more or less gives a brief but comprehensive enough background to the origins of witchcraft and belief in witchcraft and subsequent persecutions before continuing chronologically through the case of the Belvoir witches. However, it does tend to jump back into background explanation when it seems that part of case requires it, especially in terms of the political situation surrounding the trial. This can lead to parts of the book feeling somewhat unfocused.
One of the theories advanced by Borman is that the Belvoir witch trials were engineered by George Villiers. She claims that Villiers had the two sons of the Earl of Rutland poisoned in order for their sister Katherine to become heiress to a great deal of lands, and make her a much more lucrative marriage prospect. Whilst I do agree that Villiers, later to become the Duke of Buckingham, was certainly ruthless and ambitious, I think that the theory of poisoning is somewhat far-fetched and that it is more likely that he assumed that both of the children would die, leaving the lands to Katherine.
In some parts of the book, there is a heavy concentration on the primary source material which allows sources to be analyses on their own merits. However, coverage of events towards the end of the trials seems to become scarce and generalisations about other English and Scottish witch trials have to be made in order to piece together the latter parts. The end result is that we come away somewhat unsure about the circumstances that surrounded the conclusion of this particular witch hunt.
What can be said, however, is that sufficient context is given for these witch trials to be understood when explained. Often comparisons are made when similarities occur in order for certain aspects to be emphasised and highlighted and this makes one feel as if they've been given a greater grounding in witchcraft. However, the last chapter or two of the book actually seems to diverge greatly from the topic of witchraft, and doesn't offer a satisfying conclusion to the book.
In summary, this book is mainly well written and simple yet eloquent to read, with exception to when the primary source usage becomes particularly dense. If you want an overall coverage of witch hunts, as the title of the book suggests that you may receive, it is probably not this book that will be most helpful. But a more in-depth case study, it does provide quite competently.
The book more or less gives a brief but comprehensive enough background to the origins of witchcraft and belief in witchcraft and subsequent persecutions before continuing chronologically through the case of the Belvoir witches. However, it does tend to jump back into background explanation when it seems that part of case requires it, especially in terms of the political situation surrounding the trial. This can lead to parts of the book feeling somewhat unfocused.
One of the theories advanced by Borman is that the Belvoir witch trials were engineered by George Villiers. She claims that Villiers had the two sons of the Earl of Rutland poisoned in order for their sister Katherine to become heiress to a great deal of lands, and make her a much more lucrative marriage prospect. Whilst I do agree that Villiers, later to become the Duke of Buckingham, was certainly ruthless and ambitious, I think that the theory of poisoning is somewhat far-fetched and that it is more likely that he assumed that both of the children would die, leaving the lands to Katherine.
In some parts of the book, there is a heavy concentration on the primary source material which allows sources to be analyses on their own merits. However, coverage of events towards the end of the trials seems to become scarce and generalisations about other English and Scottish witch trials have to be made in order to piece together the latter parts. The end result is that we come away somewhat unsure about the circumstances that surrounded the conclusion of this particular witch hunt.
What can be said, however, is that sufficient context is given for these witch trials to be understood when explained. Often comparisons are made when similarities occur in order for certain aspects to be emphasised and highlighted and this makes one feel as if they've been given a greater grounding in witchcraft. However, the last chapter or two of the book actually seems to diverge greatly from the topic of witchraft, and doesn't offer a satisfying conclusion to the book.
In summary, this book is mainly well written and simple yet eloquent to read, with exception to when the primary source usage becomes particularly dense. If you want an overall coverage of witch hunts, as the title of the book suggests that you may receive, it is probably not this book that will be most helpful. But a more in-depth case study, it does provide quite competently.
June 1, 2022
The author's knowledge of many aspects of early 17th century history, whether its the,court politics, economy, rural life,religious belief, her use of primary source material, are most impressive. And of course, both Scottish and English witchraft and James I involvement are the themes of other work from this writer. Tracy Boorman also has the ability to write a non-fiction book which is quite captiviating to rea. I was off work one day and could not stop reading it to the end. Even read through the footnotes to learn more.
Centred round Francis Manners, the Earl of Rutland and the lord of Belvoir Castle in Liecestershire, a Roman Catholic and friend of King James I , blames the illness and subsequent death of his young son and heir on the Flowers women, disgruntled ex-servants from his household, a mother and two daughter. Everything comes to a head in a notrious witch trial in 1619.
A few minor considerations stop me giving the book five stars. Firstly began to lose thread of the author's core argument. Is her case that it was the Scottish background and personality of James 1 that led to a witch-hunting climate that led to the trial of the Flower women? But Tracy Boorman concedes that James 1 interest in the subject had waned by 1619. Also felt that her arguments concerning the importance of the Malleus Malleficarum ( the witch-hunters manual from the 15th century ) seemed contradictory. But overall a vital read for anyone interested in 17th century witchunting.
Centred round Francis Manners, the Earl of Rutland and the lord of Belvoir Castle in Liecestershire, a Roman Catholic and friend of King James I , blames the illness and subsequent death of his young son and heir on the Flowers women, disgruntled ex-servants from his household, a mother and two daughter. Everything comes to a head in a notrious witch trial in 1619.
A few minor considerations stop me giving the book five stars. Firstly began to lose thread of the author's core argument. Is her case that it was the Scottish background and personality of James 1 that led to a witch-hunting climate that led to the trial of the Flower women? But Tracy Boorman concedes that James 1 interest in the subject had waned by 1619. Also felt that her arguments concerning the importance of the Malleus Malleficarum ( the witch-hunters manual from the 15th century ) seemed contradictory. But overall a vital read for anyone interested in 17th century witchunting.
July 19, 2021
I found this to be a really interesting and informative read. The book was well-researched with lots of references included, but was still very accessible and not too 'academic' in its tone.
I liked the way in which Borman discussed the general 'trends' at the time, while also referring back to her central example of the Manners family/the Flower women. There was a lot of speculation around their story - due to lack of records from the time - but I feel that this was largely balanced out and given context by Borman's inclusion of the wider historical resources that we have to draw from.
A good introductory read on witchcraft, that has inspired me to read more on the topic!
I liked the way in which Borman discussed the general 'trends' at the time, while also referring back to her central example of the Manners family/the Flower women. There was a lot of speculation around their story - due to lack of records from the time - but I feel that this was largely balanced out and given context by Borman's inclusion of the wider historical resources that we have to draw from.
A good introductory read on witchcraft, that has inspired me to read more on the topic!
April 10, 2024
The year 1619 saw the publication of a particularly successful "witch pamphlet", a genre of sensational and salacious accounts of witch trials and the executions of supposed witches. Printed in London by George Eld (who had also done Shakespeare's sonnets), it was titled The Wonderful Discoverie of the Witchcrafts of Margaret and Phillip[a] Flower, Daughters of Joan Flower neere Beuer castle: Executed at Lincolne, March 11.1618 – "Beuer" is pronounced "Beever", and today is spelt "Belvoir", and then as now the castle was the home of the Manners family, the Earls and from 1703 the Dukes of Rutland. The "Flower women" had formerly been in service at the castle, and after their dismissal for misconduct they were accused of having used witchcraft to cause the death in 1613 of Henry Manners, the young son and heir of Francis and Cecily Manners, the 6th Earl of Rutland and his second wife. Joan Flower died protesting her innocence, supposedly choking on bread that had been blessed, and at the time when her daughters were executed Henry's younger brother Francis was also mortally ill, dying in 1620. The earl's tomb in Bottesford commemorates the affair, with an inscription that refers to the sons as having "died in their infancy by wicked practises and sorcerye". This aristocratic context was somewhat unusual; Borman writes that most witchcraft allegations "centred upon little more than village squabbles".
Like their tabloid newspaper descendants, witch pamphlets are a problematic source to take at face value. Often, though, they are the only material available, although in this case Borman found insights from "court letters, diaries and state papers". The story is also fleshed out with a much broader survey of sources on witchcraft in England, Scotland, Europe and North America, with comparable cases used to build an account of what the Flower women probably went through and the motivations of their persecutors – the story thus almost becomes the basis for an "ideal type", sociologically speaking.
This approach means that much of the book is less about Belvoir and the Flower women than the general background, with an early chapter focusing on King James VI and I. Different editions of Borman's book have contrasting subtitles, neither of which quite do the text justice: one is the slightly salacious (to pile up the alliteration) A Tale of Sorcery, Scandal and Seduction, while the other, James I and the English Witch-Hunts, is presumably pitched at the popular "royal biography" market. However, although James did know Francis Manners, and his favourite George Villiers, the 1st Duke of Buckingham, later married Katherine, Francis's daughter by his first wife Frances Knyvet, his involvement with the Belvoir story is slight. His interest to Borman primarily due to his early years promoting witch-hunting in Scotland. Famously, this included authoring a book on the subject called Daemonologie, which was published in 1597.
Borman explains that James seems to have picked up his obsession during his visit to Scandinavia in 1589, which he undertook to marry Queen Anne of Denmark. Borman relates that James was particularly impressed with the Danish theologian Niels Hemmingsen, "a noted demonologist", and that he had also been convinced of the dangers of witchcraft by the astronomer Tycho Brahe. On his return to Scotland, James came to believe that witchcraft explained storms that had dogged his sea voyage home, as well as turbulence that had forced Queen Anne to abandon an earlier voyage to Scotland (a supernatural explanation for the latter was also promoted by the Governor of Copenhagen and Denmark's Admiral of the Fleet as a diversion from allegations of negligence as regards their naval responsibilities). Arrests were made in Scotland and Denmark, with the supposed discovery of an extensive network of witches in Scotland. Witches were thus linked to idea of political subversion, and Borman notes a different witch pamphlet that alleged a gunpowder plot devised by witches against Lancaster Castle – the work was dedicated to Thomas Knyvet, who was credited with having arrested Guy Fawkes, and Borman makes a tenuous connection to Belvoir in noting that this was Francis Manners's first wife's uncle.
Villiers is central to the last part of Borman's story, which details how Francis Manners, as a Catholic and being aware of Villiers's dubioys reputation, was bitterly opposed to the prospect of having him as his son-in-law but was eventually reconciled after the marriage had taken place. This might seem to be somewhat digressive, but it introduces Borman's own sensational theory about the deaths of Francis's sons, which is that Villiers had them poisoned so that he might inherit. Like many such speculations, it's not impossible but it doesn't solve any sort of "problem" – child mortality was high in the seventeenth century, and the deaths of the two boys is perfectly explicable without postulating either witchcraft or mundane murder.
The tomb inscription notwithstanding, Borman speculates that the Manners family may have come to doubt the Flower women's guilt, and she notes that a few years later, a woman named Ellen Green who had been accused of assisting them was attended by the Manners family physician Richard Napier – might the Manners family have paid for her consultation as a "penance"? She also detects ambivalence about witchcraft belief in the pamphlet, which she suspects may have been commissioned by the earl.
Shortly after the book was published, Belvoir Castle ironically became involved in a modern witch-hunt when police descended on the estate to investigate the former MP Harvey Proctor, who was working for the current Duke. This was part of "Operation Midland", a Metropolitan Police fiasco driven by a false accuser named Carl Beech, who alleged that MPs in the 1980s had been involved in child abuse and murder. These are the most terrible accusations that can be made against someone in modern society, and this seems to explain why the investigating officer started from the flawed assumption that Beech's lies were "credible and true". The instincts that drove the witch-craze thus live on. I reviewed Proctor's memoir here.
Like their tabloid newspaper descendants, witch pamphlets are a problematic source to take at face value. Often, though, they are the only material available, although in this case Borman found insights from "court letters, diaries and state papers". The story is also fleshed out with a much broader survey of sources on witchcraft in England, Scotland, Europe and North America, with comparable cases used to build an account of what the Flower women probably went through and the motivations of their persecutors – the story thus almost becomes the basis for an "ideal type", sociologically speaking.
This approach means that much of the book is less about Belvoir and the Flower women than the general background, with an early chapter focusing on King James VI and I. Different editions of Borman's book have contrasting subtitles, neither of which quite do the text justice: one is the slightly salacious (to pile up the alliteration) A Tale of Sorcery, Scandal and Seduction, while the other, James I and the English Witch-Hunts, is presumably pitched at the popular "royal biography" market. However, although James did know Francis Manners, and his favourite George Villiers, the 1st Duke of Buckingham, later married Katherine, Francis's daughter by his first wife Frances Knyvet, his involvement with the Belvoir story is slight. His interest to Borman primarily due to his early years promoting witch-hunting in Scotland. Famously, this included authoring a book on the subject called Daemonologie, which was published in 1597.
Borman explains that James seems to have picked up his obsession during his visit to Scandinavia in 1589, which he undertook to marry Queen Anne of Denmark. Borman relates that James was particularly impressed with the Danish theologian Niels Hemmingsen, "a noted demonologist", and that he had also been convinced of the dangers of witchcraft by the astronomer Tycho Brahe. On his return to Scotland, James came to believe that witchcraft explained storms that had dogged his sea voyage home, as well as turbulence that had forced Queen Anne to abandon an earlier voyage to Scotland (a supernatural explanation for the latter was also promoted by the Governor of Copenhagen and Denmark's Admiral of the Fleet as a diversion from allegations of negligence as regards their naval responsibilities). Arrests were made in Scotland and Denmark, with the supposed discovery of an extensive network of witches in Scotland. Witches were thus linked to idea of political subversion, and Borman notes a different witch pamphlet that alleged a gunpowder plot devised by witches against Lancaster Castle – the work was dedicated to Thomas Knyvet, who was credited with having arrested Guy Fawkes, and Borman makes a tenuous connection to Belvoir in noting that this was Francis Manners's first wife's uncle.
Villiers is central to the last part of Borman's story, which details how Francis Manners, as a Catholic and being aware of Villiers's dubioys reputation, was bitterly opposed to the prospect of having him as his son-in-law but was eventually reconciled after the marriage had taken place. This might seem to be somewhat digressive, but it introduces Borman's own sensational theory about the deaths of Francis's sons, which is that Villiers had them poisoned so that he might inherit. Like many such speculations, it's not impossible but it doesn't solve any sort of "problem" – child mortality was high in the seventeenth century, and the deaths of the two boys is perfectly explicable without postulating either witchcraft or mundane murder.
The tomb inscription notwithstanding, Borman speculates that the Manners family may have come to doubt the Flower women's guilt, and she notes that a few years later, a woman named Ellen Green who had been accused of assisting them was attended by the Manners family physician Richard Napier – might the Manners family have paid for her consultation as a "penance"? She also detects ambivalence about witchcraft belief in the pamphlet, which she suspects may have been commissioned by the earl.
Shortly after the book was published, Belvoir Castle ironically became involved in a modern witch-hunt when police descended on the estate to investigate the former MP Harvey Proctor, who was working for the current Duke. This was part of "Operation Midland", a Metropolitan Police fiasco driven by a false accuser named Carl Beech, who alleged that MPs in the 1980s had been involved in child abuse and murder. These are the most terrible accusations that can be made against someone in modern society, and this seems to explain why the investigating officer started from the flawed assumption that Beech's lies were "credible and true". The instincts that drove the witch-craze thus live on. I reviewed Proctor's memoir here.
September 30, 2021
A decent piece of historical fiction; the book really serves as a general and sweeping primer of the socio-cultural circumstances surrounding witch hunts in 17th century England, particularly in the case of the Flowers women/the Belvoir witches and the Manners family.
November 18, 2017
Fascinating subject area and an enjoyable book overall. However, the analysis sometimes veered to the pedestrian, hence the three stars.
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September 9, 2025As you may or may not be aware, I have a very keen interest in the witch trials between the 15th and 18th centuries, so this obviously immediately caught my attention just as I was leaving the library. It is essentially structured as a study into the trials of Joan, Margaret and Phillipa Flower, otherwise known as the Belvoir witches. Borman has clearly gone over and beyond in her research for this book and it is a great way to learn more about the Belvoir witch trials, as well as to understand how witch hunting took off the way that it did under James I, and just how dividing religion was (in case the Tudor period hasn't given enough of an insight). He was evidently deeply concerned about appearances and this sadly led to the murder of hundreds of innocent people, the vast majority of which were women and not an insignificant amount were children. As a lawyer, I found some of the technical points particularly interesting — for example, allowing women to act as witnesses despite their evidence being considered inadmissible in every other type of trial, and imposing a lesser burden of proof than usual because otherwise "no one would ever be accused or punished".
However, this is very much a history and in my view I would have liked more of a feminist analysis of the trials. Borman takes us halfway there — she touches on cunning women and the threat they posed to the patriarchal society, giving an incentive to persecute them; she explains that the Flower women were a completely female household, which was in itself a problem that needed to be remedied; and of course, we know that any woman that was free with her sexuality needed to be dealt with. Borman outlines all of this and does indicate that these could have all been reasons for the accusations levied against them, but I didn't think she went far enough. There was a lot that I learnt reading this and I considered it a good starting point, but I would have loved to have looked at it with a feminist eye.
📌 Set in Leicestershire, England against the trials of the Witches of Belvoir in 1618-1619.
However, this is very much a history and in my view I would have liked more of a feminist analysis of the trials. Borman takes us halfway there — she touches on cunning women and the threat they posed to the patriarchal society, giving an incentive to persecute them; she explains that the Flower women were a completely female household, which was in itself a problem that needed to be remedied; and of course, we know that any woman that was free with her sexuality needed to be dealt with. Borman outlines all of this and does indicate that these could have all been reasons for the accusations levied against them, but I didn't think she went far enough. There was a lot that I learnt reading this and I considered it a good starting point, but I would have loved to have looked at it with a feminist eye.
📌 Set in Leicestershire, England against the trials of the Witches of Belvoir in 1618-1619.
January 7, 2018
This is the first book I read by Tracy Borman as I have always been fascinated by the European witch craze of the 15th-18th centuries, when suspected witches were burned, hanged, or tortured by the thousand. Tracy starts off with the famous case of the which the Earl of Rutland’s sons mysteriously died but was soon linked to witches aka the Flower girls who had apparently casted a curse (mother and two daughters).
Tracy does not just look at this particular case but looks at the general period of the 15-18th century and the hysteria and panic that the general population felt when they believed there was witches among them. From the point of view of someone in the 21st century (in saying that there are some parts of the world that women are still targeted as “witches”) people during this period generally believed in witches, darkness, goblins and evil. In this period beauty and youth was the worshipped, therefore certain type of women were more likely to accused to be witches.
- If you are an older woman: WITCH
- If you are a woman and enjoy sex for pleasure and not just for reproductive purpose: WITCH
- If you think your neighbour makes better apple pie or something just accuse her as a WITCH
- Also, witches magically lose the abilities when they get caught. This is according to James I in response to why witches don’t use their abilities to escape jail. Apparently, Satan leaves them.
Tracy also talks about the treatment women faced in jail, which often meant sexual assault. As they were accused as witches, if they spoke against their abusers, they would just say the women seduced them via dark powers.
Overall, it is was a fascinating read and I would give it 3.75 stars
May 15, 2025
Witches: James I and the English Witch Hunts
By Tracy Borman
This is an in-depth study of witches in English history, especially in the 17th century. It uses the case of the Flowers women, mother Joan and daughters Margaret and Phillipa who were in the employ of Francis Manners, 6th Earl of Rutland and his wife Cecilia, at their home of Belvoir Castle. The Manners family had a history of failure producing direct heirs, so when the Earl and his second wife had two sons, they felt the title and lands were secure.
The Manners were generous and kind people, and the Flowers were recipients of their largesse. They were given jobs and invited to live in servant’s quarters. Historically, the Flowers family had held higher status and servants of their own. Having fallen low in status, the Flowers women also didn't endear themselves to the community in that they never went to church and remained aloof and were rather combative. Soon, the gossip began about them being witches.
The trouble compounded when the Countess dismissed youngest daughter Margaret for “indecencies”. Even so, she gave Margaret an entire year's pay and household goods. Shortly thereafter the Earl's eldest son Henry became ill. He died a few months later, September 1613. Then, the younger son Francis became ill with what seemed to have been severe epilepsy. The Earl's servants openly accused the Flowers. They were all dismissed.
This was a time when witches were mercilessly hunted, accused, and suffered horrible torture and death. King James I was obsessed with witches. He personally participated in their torture. He had 2500 people, 84% of them women, executed for the crime. He took notice because the Earl was one of his courtiers. He played a crucial part in the Flowers case.
This is much more than the tale of these two families. It really is a deep dive into the bizarre belief of witchcraft that swept Europe, England, and America. We all know the history of it in Salem, Massachusetts. It has been estimated that between 1450 and 1750, over 100,000 mostly women were tried for witchcraft, and over half were executed.
This isn't a book you should pick up lightly. It's very hard to read in some parts because Borman doesn't pull any punches. She accurately describes what happened to these women. But it is an extremely important book. We need to remember what happens when people are pushed over the edge by fear and superstition.
By Tracy Borman
This is an in-depth study of witches in English history, especially in the 17th century. It uses the case of the Flowers women, mother Joan and daughters Margaret and Phillipa who were in the employ of Francis Manners, 6th Earl of Rutland and his wife Cecilia, at their home of Belvoir Castle. The Manners family had a history of failure producing direct heirs, so when the Earl and his second wife had two sons, they felt the title and lands were secure.
The Manners were generous and kind people, and the Flowers were recipients of their largesse. They were given jobs and invited to live in servant’s quarters. Historically, the Flowers family had held higher status and servants of their own. Having fallen low in status, the Flowers women also didn't endear themselves to the community in that they never went to church and remained aloof and were rather combative. Soon, the gossip began about them being witches.
The trouble compounded when the Countess dismissed youngest daughter Margaret for “indecencies”. Even so, she gave Margaret an entire year's pay and household goods. Shortly thereafter the Earl's eldest son Henry became ill. He died a few months later, September 1613. Then, the younger son Francis became ill with what seemed to have been severe epilepsy. The Earl's servants openly accused the Flowers. They were all dismissed.
This was a time when witches were mercilessly hunted, accused, and suffered horrible torture and death. King James I was obsessed with witches. He personally participated in their torture. He had 2500 people, 84% of them women, executed for the crime. He took notice because the Earl was one of his courtiers. He played a crucial part in the Flowers case.
This is much more than the tale of these two families. It really is a deep dive into the bizarre belief of witchcraft that swept Europe, England, and America. We all know the history of it in Salem, Massachusetts. It has been estimated that between 1450 and 1750, over 100,000 mostly women were tried for witchcraft, and over half were executed.
This isn't a book you should pick up lightly. It's very hard to read in some parts because Borman doesn't pull any punches. She accurately describes what happened to these women. But it is an extremely important book. We need to remember what happens when people are pushed over the edge by fear and superstition.
June 15, 2025
This is a good non-fiction book that gives the reader a glimpse into the horrors and culture surrounding the James I Witch trials.
It did, however, take me two years to read. This was partially due to one first hand account of a burning that upset me so greatly that I put the book down for a year. Several times in the book, I felt that the descriptions were too much, though I also understand that the author wanted you to know just how horrific these trials (along with the torture) were.
I was also confused at one point when the author commented on a victim thinking they could be burned at the stake. Apparently no burning of witches had occurred? but at the beginning of the book, the author speaks about several burnings that happened during this time. Now, this could easily have been due to me not reading the book for a while but it did confuse me.
Other than that, this is a very well researched and written account of one particular witch trial, that of the Flowers women. To be completely honest, I felt that the author buried the led when the last few chapters alluded to a plot by one particular man that may have used an assassin. The women were just the fall-guys. I'd read the hell out of a historical fiction about this trial and the possible plot (which included hiring a male poisoner/witch but he's fine for many years because man). I'm also now a little suspicious about how dramatic the last few chapters were compared to the first two sections of the book, which was quite dry.
My review might change as I read other sources.
It did, however, take me two years to read. This was partially due to one first hand account of a burning that upset me so greatly that I put the book down for a year. Several times in the book, I felt that the descriptions were too much, though I also understand that the author wanted you to know just how horrific these trials (along with the torture) were.
I was also confused at one point when the author commented on a victim thinking they could be burned at the stake. Apparently no burning of witches had occurred? but at the beginning of the book, the author speaks about several burnings that happened during this time. Now, this could easily have been due to me not reading the book for a while but it did confuse me.
Other than that, this is a very well researched and written account of one particular witch trial, that of the Flowers women. To be completely honest, I felt that the author buried the led when the last few chapters alluded to a plot by one particular man that may have used an assassin. The women were just the fall-guys. I'd read the hell out of a historical fiction about this trial and the possible plot (which included hiring a male poisoner/witch but he's fine for many years because man). I'm also now a little suspicious about how dramatic the last few chapters were compared to the first two sections of the book, which was quite dry.
My review might change as I read other sources.
January 1, 2024
This is an excellent book that tells the history of the English Witch Trials through the lens of the Belvoir witch trials of the 1610s. It keeps the tension high and a personal element to the story by following the tragic story of the Flower women, three women accused of witchcraft by the nobles of Belvoir Castle in the 1610s, while also delving deep into the context and history of the English witch trials as a whole. As well as the Flower women, it examines prominent figures of the era including James 1st, and is extremely well cited with extensive footnotes and proper citation and critical examination of contemporary sources for every claim it makes. The author has obviously done her reading and knows her stuff!
It isn't a totally perfect book: the murder mystery angle that the blurb tries to sell you on is weak (but only takes up less than half a chapter), and I think it could have done with examining of why all women especially elderly, lower-class and disabled women suffered during the witch trials due to their inherent nature as part of a patriarchal system. But overall I'd strongly recommend this book to anyone who wants a well researched and gripping account to learn more about this awful period of European history.
It isn't a totally perfect book: the murder mystery angle that the blurb tries to sell you on is weak (but only takes up less than half a chapter), and I think it could have done with examining of why all women especially elderly, lower-class and disabled women suffered during the witch trials due to their inherent nature as part of a patriarchal system. But overall I'd strongly recommend this book to anyone who wants a well researched and gripping account to learn more about this awful period of European history.
January 17, 2024
Witches was incredibly well researched with attention to detail and good use of original sources. It must be noted that I stopped and read out several passages to my partner. Unfortunately Borman’s argument and focus is lacking throughout; in the first third James I is obsessed with witchcraft and we hear a lot about his court and his personal relationships for unclear reasons. The second third focuses on the Belvoir Flower Women convicted of witchcraft with several references back to the Pendle and Essex witch trials. In the last third Borman returns to talking about James’ friends and influence and, oh by the way, he’s not bothered about witches anymore. The book is only missing a few stronger linking arguments.
March 30, 2019
Four hundred years ago, in March 1619, sisters Margaret and Philippa Flower were executed as witches. Their mother, Joan, had also been accused and had died on the way to their incarceration. They were charged in connection with the deaths of the children of the Earl of Rutland, one of the biggest names in the court of James I. Borman's book looks at the case of the Flower women and highlights the witch hunts across Europe and other trials on British shores. This was a fascinating look at a dark period in history when women were murdered by the state for being different, for being independent of men or for having knowledge of herblore and healing.
August 29, 2025
A bit too lacking in actual evidence for this to be a history of anything other than the witch trials that took place across Europe. Information on the Flowers women is extremely limited and the author makes a lot of assumptions and straight up guesses about their lives and how things happened. They also probably only make up a quarter of the book despite it being marketed as their story. And what the heck was with the alleged conspiracy that again has no evidence (much like the witch trials)? It got pretty repetitive toward the end, quoting the same pamphlets a few times, and even listening on 3x speed I was skipping sections.
August 7, 2019
(I did skim read a lot of this because it wasn’t all relevant to my dissertation and I simply don’t have the time to read the rest!)
Tracy Borman is such a good writer; she can even make the sad tales of women being hunted for witchcraft interesting and spectacular. This was such an fascinating way into looking at witches during James’ reign - she focused on one particular case that branches out into all different things (evidence/proof, examination, tests, how they were tried, their punishments, etc.). I had never heard of the case she wrote of!
A very interesting and insightful read!
Tracy Borman is such a good writer; she can even make the sad tales of women being hunted for witchcraft interesting and spectacular. This was such an fascinating way into looking at witches during James’ reign - she focused on one particular case that branches out into all different things (evidence/proof, examination, tests, how they were tried, their punishments, etc.). I had never heard of the case she wrote of!
A very interesting and insightful read!
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