Love spells and lost treasure. Service magic in England from the later Middle Ages to the early modern era.

"Love spells and lost treasure: Service magic in England from the later Middle Ages to the early modern era" by Tabitha Stanmore is a groundbreaking book that expands the source base on English magic. Stanmore examines the practice of "service magic," which was magic done in the service of others. She argues that service magic was a common and accepted practice, condemned by the church but viewed as useful or necessary by most people. The book provides statistical analysis and explores the social dynamics and perceptions of magic in different contexts, including popular society and the social elite. Stanmore's work raises questions for further research, such as the relationship between service magic and self-interested magic, the comparison with continental material, and the connection between service magic and witchcraft. While the book has strengths, such as its rich source base and nuanced analysis, it also has weaknesses, including garbled Latin texts and unnecessary quarrels with other scholars. Overall, "Love spells and lost treasure" offers valuable insights into the history of English magic. [Extracted from the article]