The Wise Woman

Henry VIII has reformed the Church of England, breaking away from the authority of the Pope and the Roman Catholic Church. Keen to reinforce his position as the new head of the church and to take advantage of the wealth of the Catholic Church, Henry began the Dissolution - the raiding and wrecking of all of the Catholic convents and monasteries in England. In this time of religious tensions and instability, belief in witchcraft and the supernatural began to spread throughout the country, causing increasing concern. As a result, King Henry decides to introduce an act of Parliament making witchcraft punishable by death - and making England a much more dangerous place for a young woman without wealth or family.