The Elizabethan Era, from early 1500 to mid-1600's, commonly referred to as the era of enlightenment and scientific advancement was the time period where Queen Elizabeth I was queen and also a time of great upheaval having to do with the witch trials (Elizabethan Witches). The most prominent cause of the Elizabethan Era Witch Trials was the publification of Malleus Malificarium or " Hammer of Witches". This described all the methods of commonly alleged crimes of witchcraft. Complete with methods of discovering them and ways in which they should be punished. This book became the equivalent of a rulebook or guidebook to the leading judges of the trials. Naturally, this book increased the popular beliefs in witchcraft and the number of trials given (Hole 29). Then in 1563, a Witchcraft Act was passed by Queen Elizabeth in which there is no doubt that that the real witchcraft prosecution began (Hole 11). The Elizabethan Era was also the era when the printing press was invented, which made gossip in the towns spread like wildfires. Around this time also, incidents of witchcraft began to manifest themselves. Unexplainable and/or uncontrollable events led people to look for an outlet. Regrettably this outlet was the witches. Similarly, whenever there were crop failures or burnt down houses, this was targeted at the witches. In fact, not unlike the Salem witch trials, minorities of any type were singled out and blamed especially when they were seen to be "working magic", because magic was of course, the Devil's work. (Elizabethan Witches)