In the dark annals of English history, one name stands out vividly as a symbol of fear and oppression during the seventeenth century: Matthew Hopkins, the infamous Witchfinder General.
The Witchfinder General's Role
Matthew Hopkins gained notoriety during the English Civil War (1642-1651), a time of political and social upheaval.
He appointed himself as a professional witch-hunter and traveled extensively throughout East Anglia, particularly in Essex, seeking out alleged witches to bring to justice.
Hopkins, along with his assistant John Stearne, claimed to have developed foolproof techniques for identifying witches, such as the infamous "swimming test" - where accused witches were thrown into bodies of water; if they floated, they were guilty.
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