jo77,

You are not wrong, esp. if those people happened to be of the female sex. (Although there were ruthless queens, too.) For good reference, see Barbara G. Walker's "Encyclopedia of Women's Myths and Secrets"; just look up "church" or "abbess" or "catholic" and you get a good idea of what the patriarchy of Christianity did to women of power, land, and wealth, but even more so if they were healers/herbalists. Today, the AMA (American Medical Assoc.) would love to have that kind of free rein over herbalists.

Another good one is "Great Women Initiates" which can be ordered from the Alexandria Bookstore in San Jose, CA, 1-800-356-2946. Author's last name is Bernard. There is interesting esoteric and historical info in there on Madame Blavatsky, Joan of Arc, and other mystical women.

Also a great novel is, "The White Witch" by Elizabeth Goudge. One of the best books I've ever read. About a woman healer during the time of ***shudder*** Cromwell.

In later times, in America, another good novel is "The Midwife", can't remember the author. It is an excellent, well-researched story about how the up and coming male medical establishment decided it would be better for their pocketbooks if they took over birthing babies before the turn of this century and how they began a terrible campaign to eradicate all midwifery, even when they (the doctors) refused to treat the extremely poor immigrant populations, which midwives never turned down.

Okay, I hereby stand down. The soapbox is someone else's!

Well, almost...submitted for ya'll's pleasure:

"The Mudcat casts its spell on me, A thread is a thread, or two or three... One never knows what one might read; Its charm is wide and well received. Alas, do I really want to be freed?"

Now, I really AM...katlaughing!