to regulate the number of witnesses at w'ill. There are naturally especially many witnesses against those who deny their charges. The supply of accomplices ready to give evidence is also clearly related to the needs. In those districts where many victims confessed the children play a minor role, and vice versa. .About a quarter of the accused confessed, more or less v'oluntarily. Some, especially the elderly, confess for their own part but refuse to give evidence against the others. Young unmarried women are the most numerous and the most cooperative. In three places in Norrland they comprise 52 % of the accomplices giving evidence, but only 23 % of the accused. This is hardly surprising. They all hoped to get off with lighter punishment by behaving correctly. In instructions and court praxis ”the old and unrepentant” are singled out as the most despicable. On the other hand the young wives display quite the opposite tendence: only a few are prepared to confess and give evidence, and this despite the fact that an average of seven witnesses was brought against each of them — twice as many as against the maids. The pressure exerted by the courts was only partially effective. 4.4. The craze spread fromDalecarlia to Hälsingland, and from there northwards along the coast. Its spread has been described in medical terms, an infection, an epidemic, which lead one to think of the Black Death. This is clearly misleading. The trials lasted for fully eight years. Distribution was slow and far from even. The mining district of Dalecarlia, only a few miles from the parishes beside Siljan, had no trials —nor did southern Sweden. During the first years the distribution can be followed fairly well from village to village, almost from farm to farm. But after 1673, when there were trials in many parts of Norrland, the interaction is so extensive and complicated that no clear picture can be obtained. The maps above pp. 300—306 show two cases of distribution in Dalecarlia and Hälsingland during the early years. Judging from the rate and direction of spread it seems likely that the close communications between neighbours and villages played a decisive role. In this respect they may be said to confirm a previous observation: the conformity of the accusations within and between local groups and family groups. Other important factors have played their part. Rumours and stories circulated, influencing young and old. The fascination and double horror of being in league with the Devil and of the pyre were great enough to make it worthwile spreading printed leaflets on the continental market. The interest at home was of course no less keen. There were professional witch finders, mostly children, who could ”see” who travelled to Blåkulla and were paid for their services out of the parish coffers. Some bold lads exacted food and drink from people in return for not defaming them. This combination of begging and blackmail was mostly carried on by poor orphans. The authorities tried to stop it, bit it was kept going by the priests and the public. Like the general mobility among the 338
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