Under Mathew Hopkins the witch-finder general, over 300 people are said to have been murdered between 1645 and 1647. Twenty people were charged with witchcraft alone in and imprisoned in Ely jail, now the museum.
The Bible, written largely in Greek, Latin and Hebrew, is not clear on what a witch actually is. The Hebrew word for Witch is kaskah, which meant a poisoner, liar or keeper of serpents, what sounds nowadays like a politician!
Love him or hate him there is no doubt that King Charles the first did not value or respect his subjects, and needed to go, and in order to finance the civil war.
Cromwell allowed back the Jewish moneylenders who were thrown out of Britain centuries before.
The only time Christ in the bible lost his temper and smashed the place up was over the money changers in the temple. The crime of usury cuts deep in Christianity yet this was actually condoned by Christian clerics.
At Cromwell's death on Sept 3, 1658 a flock of crows was seen cawing round the house: a bird of ill omen it was said at the time; it was a sign he would go to hell.
Oliver Cromwell on horseback and the Military enactments will be on the Cathedral green from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. Saturday Sept.6, 2008.
With thanks to Catherine Atkinson.
T Stokes
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