Cunning folk Life in the era of practical magic

In medieval and early modern England, cunning folk were practitioners of useful magic. Social historian Stanmore delves into archival legal documents and ecclesiastical records to illuminate this era from the perspective of both supplicants and practitioners. With empathy, she explains why, for example, the loss of a shirt could be so disastrous that a poor person would ask for divination to gain its return. Some practitioners were truly well meaning, helping locate lost objects, heal unexplained illnesses, or with matters of the heart. Others leveraged knowledge, like the ability to read, to take advantage of naïveté for their own gain. Upper social classes, including English royalty, also consulted cunning folk. Unlike the vindictive curses of witches, the spells, herbals, and charms used by soothsayers generally helped make everyday life easier, although the boundaries between cunning folk, witches, and the church were often blurred. Interesting parallels between cunning folk, nineteenth-century spiritualists, the popular book, The Secret, and TikTokers espousing the 369 Manifestation Technique round out an insightful book about medieval life and the power of belief.