Relaxed laws of Britain and other Western European countries against witchcraft rather reflect the views of the enlightened aristocratic minority, rather than the views of rural people make up the bulk of the population.Superstitious poor when it seemed that there was a danger from evil spirits, whenever asked for help to the white witches or "crafty narodtse."
These cunning that in the time extent of the law continued to operate openly in the British Isles, were usually the seventh sons or daughters of the seventh, which meant that their ability, as it was believed, were inherited.They not only "throwing the spell," but, like their Anglo-Saxon ancestors were treated with herbs and claimed to know how to spell to expel the disease from animals.
Up until the middle of the XVIII century, the public had a significant impact in rural life, often they were treated with even greater respect than the priests.
in eastern England, they were sometimes the only effective healers, especially in those years when conventional medicine was too expensive.In Devon and Cornwall to be consulted not only the poor, but everyone else - popularly called "magicians".In Wales, the seventh sons of seventh sons prepared and prescribed medications, prescriptions which were created in the Middle Ages.
The story of one such village wise woman.It usually takes visitors sitting at a table in a darkened room, his face hidden hood in the crystal ball to read the future of his "client."
most famous "crafty" was a man named James Marrell Essex - the seventh son of a seventh son, who was reading the future in a tiny mirror, and to heighten the effect decorate the vault!"Advisory Panel" yellowed skulls.Most of its revenue provided farmers who considered themselves the victims of witch seven Kenyudon from a neighboring village.
Scotland spa uayf (as it was called Sibyl) could build a reputation prophetess alone the fact that it - the seventh daughter of seventh daughter.
France is also famous for such healers, one of the most famous was Marco d'Orleans, who treated the disease with his breath.In the XVIII century in some German states, the rulers became "sponsors" the sons of seventh sons of seventh.
«cunning" often engaged in their work for free, assuming that the provision of services on a commercial basis the equivalent of taking professional ethics and leads to deterioration of "magic" abilities.So they relied on voluntary donations of patients - in the form of products, goods or money.
But as prophets are rustic at the same time acted as a witch-catchers, their social role was, alas, very doubtful that those unfortunates, whom they accused of diseases their patients often become victims of neighbors and sometimes deprived of such allegations life.
Photo source: i94.beon.ru
Articles Source: vokrugsveta.ru
