John Webster's The Displaying of Supposed Witchcraft, 1677 (Edexcel A-Level History): Revision Notes

John Webster's The Displaying of Supposed Witchcraft, 1677

John Webster's career and background

John Webster (1610-82) was a notable figure in 17th-century England who combined careers as both a doctor and a preacher. Born in Yorkshire, Webster claimed familiarity with Cambridge University, though no official record of his attendance exists in university registers.

Early career and education

In 1632, Webster was ordained and two years later, in 1634, became the curate of Kildwick church in Yorkshire. Before his ordination, he studied chemistry and medicine at Gresham College, where he developed a strong interest in the scientific method. This scientific training would later prove crucial in shaping his sceptical approach to witchcraft.

Civil War period and religious change

During the English Civil War, Webster served the Parliamentary army in a dual role as both chaplain and surgeon. By 1648, his religious views had evolved significantly - he left the Church of England and became a nonconformist.

After the Civil War ended, Webster preached at various Yorkshire churches and engaged in public debates on topics such as university education and astrology. However, in 1658, whilst living in Clitheroe, the Republican government seized his books, likely because his religious views did not align with government policy. This event prompted Webster to abandon preaching and focus on practising medicine instead.

Writing The Displaying of Supposed Witchcraft

It was around this period that Webster began preparing his most famous work, The Displaying of Supposed Witchcraft. The manuscript was completed in 1673 but did not appear in print until 1677.

Webster's publication of The Displaying of Supposed Witchcraft

Purpose and context

Webster's attitude toward witchcraft was similar to that of Thomas Ady, another sceptical writer. Like Ady, Webster argued that beliefs not founded in the teachings of the Bible should be rejected. His publication followed a common pattern among sceptical works - it was written as a direct response to authors who defended witch-hunts.

Specifically, Webster aimed to challenge two prominent believers in witchcraft:

1. Joseph Glanvill - who claimed the Demon Drummer of Tedworth case was genuine evidence of supernatural activity
2. Meric Casaubon (1599-1671) - son of French intellectual Isaac Casaubon, who had moved from France to England and became a leading figure in the intellectual world after Charles II's Restoration, writing in defence of the dominant view that witchcraft was real

Webster's core argument

Webster's central belief was nuanced: he accepted that witches existed, but fundamentally rejected the idea that they possessed supernatural powers. According to Webster, whilst witches did carry out evil acts, they did so using their own natural abilities and did not receive assistance from the Devil. This position distinguished him from complete sceptics who denied the existence of witches altogether.

Webster's evidence and case studies

Webster supported his arguments with detailed examination of specific witchcraft cases, demonstrating his methodical, scientific approach.

The Demon Drummer of Tedworth case

Webster was highly critical of this famous case. He stated that the original complainant, John Mompesson, was actually responsible for the supposed supernatural events, rather than any witch or demon.

The Pendle Swindle of 1634

Webster's analysis of this case was particularly significant because it was based on first-hand evidence. He claimed that Edmund Robinson had been instructed by his father to bring false charges against the accused witches.

Webster's personal involvement with this case was remarkable. When he was curate at Kildwick church in Yorkshire, he actually met Edmund Robinson and witnessed a doubtful case unfold. He noticed that his congregation was disturbed by the boy's presence at church. Webster went to the house where Robinson was staying and found him with two other men, presumably his uncle and father. The men refused to allow Webster to speak with the boy privately. However, when Webster later saw Robinson in public, he managed to speak with him and ask whether his story was true. Before the boy could properly respond, the two men hastily took him away.

This direct experience gave Webster unique credibility - he had personally observed evidence of false accusations and witnessed how families might manipulate children into making witchcraft accusations.

The Roland Jenks case of 1577

Webster also examined the case of Roland Jenks, a Catholic bookseller from Oxford who was imprisoned in 1577 for selling Catholic literature. At his trial, Jenks was said to have uttered a curse, and within days, hundreds of people died, including members of the jury and two judges.

At the time, two theories were proposed to explain these deaths:

1. A poisonous vapour was rising from the prison and the prisoners themselves
2. Jenks had used sorcery to cause the deaths

Webster took a middle position. He blamed Jenks for the deaths but denied that witchcraft was responsible. Instead, he attributed the deaths to the use of entirely natural poisons. In reality, the deaths were probably caused by an outbreak of typhus, a disease common in prisons with poor sanitary conditions.

Webster's overall conclusion

Through these case studies, Webster argued that all accusations of harm done by witches could be ascribed to natural causes. This was a revolutionary approach that applied rational, scientific thinking to supposedly supernatural events.

The impact of Webster's work

Contemporary reception

Although Webster never became a thinker of major significance, his work received relatively positive reception and sparked serious intellectual debate through pamphlets and books.

Several prominent academics engaged with Webster's ideas:

• Seth Ward, an Oxford academic, wrote a response to Webster's criticism of educational methods
• John Wilkins, one of the founders of the Royal Society, also responded to Webster's views on education
• Henry More, the editor of Joseph Glanvill's works, added a response to Webster's views on witchcraft when he published Saducismus Triumphatus in 1681

Scientific credibility

Webster also wrote on chemistry, minerals and metals, and was taken seriously by many members of the Royal Society. His methodical approach reflected the dawning of the new scientific age. His thorough use of evidence, particularly first-hand evidence from cases like the Pendle Swindle, meant that his credibility set him apart from many other sceptical authors of the period.

Historical debate about Webster's significance

The historian Hugh Trevor-Roper, in his influential work The Crisis of the Seventeenth Century: Religion, the Reformation and Social Change (1967), presented a more critical assessment of Webster's importance. Trevor-Roper argued that:

• The origins of Webster's work could be found in earlier writers, specifically Weyer (1563) and Scot (1584)
• The intellectual debate about witchcraft had not significantly progressed since these earlier publications
• The decline of the witch craze was not primarily due to sceptical publications like Webster's

Instead, Trevor-Roper argued that witch-hunts declined because the power of the clergy over people's lives decreased in Protestant countries. He noted it was no coincidence that witch-hunts continued for longer in Catholic countries, where the clergy retained greater power and influence.

Webster's lasting contribution

Despite Trevor-Roper's criticisms, Webster's work represented an important step in the development of rational, evidence-based approaches to investigating supposed supernatural phenomena. His combination of religious authority (as a preacher), scientific training (from Gresham College), and practical medical experience (as a doctor) gave his sceptical arguments particular weight. Most importantly, his willingness to personally investigate cases and gather first-hand evidence demonstrated a modern, empirical approach that would become increasingly important in the Age of Enlightenment.