Cunning-folk
Subtitle: popular magic in English history
By: Owen Davies.
Publisher: Hambledon and London
Published: 2002
Place of publication: London; New York
Language: eng
Number of pages: 246
Subjects: Magic -- England -- History
Description: Local practitioners of magic, providing small-scale but valued services to the community, cunning-folk 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 malevolent witchcraft. In a world of uncertainty, before insurance and modern science, cunning-folk played an important role that has previously been ignored.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references (p. [219]-237) and index.