Early modern beliefs that were common and widely accepted were rarely expressed, and seldom written down. However, when beliefs are challenged and discussed, they are made explicit and become available for historical investigation. Køge Huskors was published as a defence of the reality of demonic possession against the growing scepticism that emerged from early Enlightenment philosophy. The possession in Thisted marked an official break with such beliefs in Denmark, although witness statements were rife with beliefs more consistent with those found in Køge Huskors and other possession narratives. Studying incidents of demonic possession as cultural events that echo theatrical performances and follow cultural scripts allows a dynamic analysis of early modern beliefs, revealing how they circulated, were transformed and were influenced by external forces such as books, in which possession narratives could circulate transnationally through translation. Before Ole Bjørn became involved in the Thisted case, symptoms were vague and interpretations varied, as there was no clear script that the local residents could use to interpret the women’s conditions. However, in Køge Huskors Ole Bjørn and his followers found a formula for how a demonic possession could play out and be resolved. The case began imitating the events described in Køge Huskors, and witness statements closely conformed to descriptions in the book.
The influence of Køge Huskors manifested itself in explicit references, structural similarities in observations and certain textual references to the book made by witnesses. The demoniacs mirrored the book’s depictions of demonic possession, and the witchcraft trials were inspired by the book. Thus, Køge Huskors had real significance for a specific course of historical events. By reading Køge Huskors and using it to interpret their own experiences, the inhabitants of Thisted became part of a literary community with improved agency; in other words, they received ‘literary citizenship’. People who did not necessarily have a voice in early modern society gained one when they assumed the identity of the demoniac. Even those who did not physically read the book became involved in a transnational literary world through the demoniacs’ and Ole Bjørn’s references to the book.
Ultimately, the script Ole Bjørn found in Køge Huskors, and wanted the Thisted case to follow, was rejected by the authorities because of growing scepticism in learned circles. The women Ole Bjørn accused of witchcraft were found innocent. Instead he became the accused, and was ultimately convicted as a fraud. During this process the authorities pointed out that his script was indeed a script – not reality. The anonymously published, but officially sanctioned, version of these events even blamed Ole Bjørn and Køge Huskors for spreading what it deemed to be superstitions. Following this, the book gradually underwent a genre shift, from description of historical events to popular fiction, although this change was gradual, and belief in witchcraft and demonic possession persisted for generations among parts of the population in Denmark–Norway. Ole Bjørn’s interpretation and use of Køge Huskors backfired on him, and it even fostered political change. The possession in Thisted became the last official witchcraft trial in Denmark, and it communicated a shift in the opinion of the authorities, as the published satirical description of events became the official narrative. Indirectly, Køge Huskors brought about political change, even though the outcome was not intended by its author.