New historical research reveals a contrast between Exeter’s treatment of alleged witches and the increasingly relaxed stance adopted across much of England. Rather than following that broader shift, the city maintained its hardline pursuit of those accused of witchcraft.
Its prosecutions extended even to service magicians: benign local investigators who used magic to look into petty crimes. Although their activities were intended to help rather than harm, they nevertheless became targets of prosecution. Their treatment illustrates the extent of Exeter’s campaign against witchcraft.
