Quote:
CUNNING; to know, possessing a practical skill, able, skilful, clever, possessing a magical knowledge
1874 "I threatened to prosecute the village CUNNING WOMAN whose herbal knowledge and other wisdom continued to be held in high esteem by the villagers" (Silbury 112)
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Note that the author himself does not hold the woman in high esteem.The villagers hold her in high esteem. He is using the word 'cunning' in its perjorative sense: her knowledge and wisdom is of a dangerous and immoral form. It is not the virtuous learning of an educated man, rather it is the depths to which a woman can sink if her passions and natural proclivities are not contained. By 1874 there had already been at least 100 years of holding up 'cunning' as one of the vices women naturally tend to if not given a proper education. The lower-orders also, were considered to have 'cunning' naturally.