White & Black: Beliefs About White and Black Witches
The phrases “black witch” and “white witch” are increasingly unpopular, as they are increasingly taken to refer to race than to type of witchery, though both kinds exist even now. In the past, a “white witch,” a “hedge witch,” and a “herbalist” tended to be fairly synonymous. Such a woman–and it almost always was a woman–supported herself scantily by using methods and materials she had probably learned from her mother and grandmother, providing the slight medical help available in her community. The herbs she used were not always useless. Nobody has the slightest idea how many thousands of years infusion of foxglove has been used to treat heart problems, particularly what is now called congestive heart failure.
Of course, it was impossible to know for sure when any brew was strong enough, because neither color nor smell provided enough information, so herbs could be risky. The “black witch” was believed to meet four days out of the year in a coven, usually twelve women and one man, who represented the devil. She was believed to be malevolent, doing harm wherever she could. Numerous details are believed to be known. I say “believed to be known” because when someone stretched on a rack, and someone promises to stop if she tells, she’ll tell whatever she’s asked to tell. Unfortunately, the “white witch” could overnight become a “black witch.”
If little Susie is cured of diphtheria one week and two weeks later her curer is refused a gift of butter, whereupon the cow dies, the results may be horrendous. Although King James I of England wrote a book against witches, he is praiseworthy for one episode: After a terrible storm nearly sank the ship which was bringing his bride to him, several “witches” and their daughters were accused of having caused the storm by taking off their shoes and socks and wiggling their feet. The King ordered the suspects brought to him, and promised them freedom and gifts if they could raise a storm again. Of course, they couldn’t do it, whereupon the King ordered them freed and indemnified.
