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The witches mark came to light in 1645 as one way of identifying a witch, the mark was also known as the devils mark.
The devils mark was believed to be the permanent marking of the devil himself, to indicate the barer of the mark was his servant and their obedience to him. The mark was said to have been created by the devils claw raking across the flesh, leaving a branded mark to day we would call them skin anomalies or birthmarks.
How the accused suffered.
This mark could be anywhere on the body this held a problem of being spotted, if the mark was on the face, coupled with the accusations they were picked out at once.
Pricking a witch.
If the mark could not be seen this was a frighting experience for the accused.
The accused would stand in front of a large crowed, then was striped naked and shave them all over, so the mark if hidden would revile it’s self. If this did not work pins would be forced into their body,
this was thought to draw out the invisible mark the devil had left inside them.
Thankfully the search for the witches mark disappeared by the 1700.
getting a confession from a witch.
A confession was the true witch finder as it was considered the truth and they were right all along to call her a witch. Many accused witches confessed to being a witch and to be working for the devil in order for the appalling treatment to stop.
Thumbscrews were used as well as scolds bridle, a device for depressing the tongue to keep them quite until they were questioned again. Being deprived of sleep was a nasty experience. A guard was placed out side the sell bars with a stick, every time the accused was falling asleep they would pock her to stay awake and keep her awake. The stick was used because they did not want her to use her powers on them, every couple of hours the guards would change over so they could get some sleep. This could go on for more than a week just for them to confess. Other treatment was applied deprived of warmth and light, but in the end the accused confess and it was stopped when she was hanged.
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September of 1692 nineteen men and women were all convicted of witchcraft, they were carted of to Gallow hill near Salem village for hanging.
In 1612 the famous witch trials in English history were the convicted witches were charged with the murders of ten people by witchcraft were hanged.
We tried to understand the unexplainable and unknown with much more grace these days always looking for logical answers to our questions, witches ghosts and all paranormal things will always fascinate us even the non believers will question themselves every now and then.