Matthew Hopkins

Matthew Hopkins, born in January sixteen twenty, was an English lawyer and inquisitor whose notoriety as a witch-hunter peaked during the tumultuous period of the English Civil War. His activities were primarily concentrated in East Anglia, where he claimed the title of Witchfinder General, a designation that was never officially conferred by Parliament.

Beginning his witch-finding career in March sixteen forty-four, Hopkins remained active until his retirement in sixteen forty-seven. Alongside his associate John Stearne, he was responsible for sending more individuals to the gallows for witchcraft than all other witch-hunters in England combined over the preceding one hundred sixty years. Their fervent pursuit of alleged witches significantly contributed to the surge in witch trials during this era.

Hopkins's investigative methods were heavily influenced by the Daemonologie of King James I, which he referenced in his own non-fiction work, The Discovery of Witches. Despite the nominal illegality of torture in England, he frequently employed techniques such as sleep deprivation to elicit confessions from his victims, showcasing the dark and controversial nature of his practices.