Tag: vile midwifery

The UK ‘officially’ executed around 1000 victims for witchcraft – but many more were killed by sadistic mobs who took the law into their own hands (encouraged by local priests). What many may not realise is that one of the crimes listed as witchcraft was ‘vile midwifery’ – a crime that demanded the death penalty. Any woman who was found to possess knowledge of pregnancy, labour, childbirth and post-natal recovery were deemed in league with the devil and sentenced to be burnt at the stake.