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The Pendle Witch Trial of 1612Thanks To http://www.pendlewitches.co.uk/In my 20 year career as a researcher of the paranormal ive come across cases that seem to involved witches. Pendle Hill Witch Trials seems to be at the tops when someone brings up the subject of " do I bealve in witches" and I always say the same thing, I dont know for sure!! |
At the assizes at Lancaster in the autumn of 1612, twenty persons, of whom sixteen were women of various ages, were committed for trial, and most of them tried for witchcraft.
Their names were:
- Elizabeth Southerns, alias Demdike
- Elizabeth Device daughter of Demdike
- James Device son of Elizabeth Device
- Alison Device daughter of Elizabeth Device
- Anne Whittle alias Chattox
- Anne Redferne daughter of Chattox
- Alice Nutter
- Jane Bulcock
- John Bulcock son of Jane Bulcock
- Katherine Hewitt alias Mould-heels
- Isabel Robey
- Margaret Pearson
Margaret Pearson was tried 1st for murder by witchcraft; 2nd for bewitching a neighbour; 3rd for bewitching a horse; and, being acquitted of the two former charges, was sentenced for the last to stand upon the pillory in the markets of Clitheroe, Padiham, Colne, and Lancaster for four successive market days, with a printed paper upon her head, stating her offence. - Jennet Bierley
- Ellen Bierley Daughter of Jennet Bierley
- Jane Southworth
- John Ramsden
- Elizabeth Astley
- Alice Gray
- Isabel Sidegraves
- Lawrence Haye
The last four were discharged without trial.
The sensation produced by these trials was immense, not only in this, but throughout neighbouring counties, and Thomas Potts, the clerk of the court, was directed by the judges of assize, Sir Edward Bromley and Sir James Altham to collect and publish the evidence and other documents connected with the trial, under the revision of the judges themselves.
Fear of Witchcraft in Lancashire
During the sixteenth century whole districts in some parts of Lancashire seemed contaminated with the presence of witches; men and beasts were supposed to languish under their charm, and the delusion which preyed alike on the learned and the vulgar did not allow any family to suppose that they were beyond the reach of the witch's power.
Was the family visited by sickness? It was believed to be the work of an invisible agency, which in secret wasted an image made in clay before the fire, or crumbled its various parts into dust.
Did the cattle sicken and die? The witch and the wizard were the authors of the calamity.
Did the yeast refuse to ferment, either in the bread or the beer? It was the consequence of a 'bad wish'.
Did the butter refuse to come? The 'familiar' was in the churn.
Did the ship founder at sea? The gale or hurricane was blown by the lungless hag who had scarcely sufficient breath to cool her own pottage.
Did the river Ribble overflow its banks? The floods descended from the congregated sisterhood at Malkin Tower.
The blight of the season, which consigned the crops of the farmer to destruction, was the saliva of the enchantress, or distillations from the blear-eyed dame who flew by night over the field on mischief bent.
Description of the Witch Demdike
She dwelt in the Forest of Pendle, a vast place, fit for her profession: What she committed in her time, no man knows.
Thus lived she securely for many years, brought up her own children, instructed her grand-children, and took great care and pains to bring them up to be witches.
She was a general agent for the Devil in all these parts: no man escaped her, or her furies, that ever gave them any occasion of offence, or denied them anything they stood need of: And certain it is, no man near them, was secure or free from danger.
Description of the Witch Chattox
This Anne Whittle, alias Chattox, was a very old withered spent and decrepit creature, her sight almost gone: A dangerous witch, of very long continuance; always opposite to old Demdike: For whom the one favoured, the other hated deadly: and how they envy and accuse one another, in their examinations, may appear.
Her lips ever chattering and walking: but no man knew what.
She lived in the Forest of Pendle, amongst this wicked company of dangerous witches.
The Confession of Alison Device
The said Alison Device sayth, that about two years ago, her grandmother, (called Elizabeth Southerns, alias old Demdike) did sundry times in going or walking together as they went begging persuade and advise her to let a devil or a familiar appear to her; and that she would let him suck at some part of her; and she might have and do what she would.
The Black Dog
And so not long after these persuasions, she being walking towards the Roughlee, in a close of one John Robinson's, there appeared unto her a thing like unto a black dog: speaking unto her and desiring her to give him her soul, and he would give her power to do any thing she would: whereupon she being therewithal enticed, and setting her down; the said black dog did with his mouth (as she then thought) suck at her breast, a little below her paps, which place did remain blue half a year next after: which said black-dog did not appear to her, until the eighteenth day of march last:
Laming the Peddler John Law
At which time she met with a peddler on the high-way, called Colne-field, near unto Colne: and she demanded of the said peddler to buy some pins of him; but the said peddler sturdily answered her that he would not loose his pack; and so she parting with him: presently there appeared to her the black dog, which appeared unto her as before: which black dog spoke unto her in English, saying; 'what wouldst thou have me to do unto yonder man?'
To whom this she said, 'what canst thou do at him?' And the dog answered again, 'I can lame him': Whereupon she answered, and said to the said black dog, 'lame him': And before the peddler was gone forty roodes [about 300 yards] further, he fell down lame: and she then went after the said peddler, and in a house about the distance aforesaid, he was lying lame:
And so she went begging in Trawden forest that day, and came home at night: and about five days next after, the said black dog did appear to her, as she was going a begging, in a close near Newchurch in Pendle, and spoke again to her, saying; 'stay and speak with me', but this she would not: since which time she never saw him.
A Cow Killed by Demdike
And she further sayth, that one John Nutter of the Bulhole in Pendle, had a cow which was sick, and requested her grandmother [Demdike] to amend the said cow; and her said grandmother said she would, and so her said grandmother about ten of the clock in the night, desired her to lead her forth; which this she did, [her grandmother] being then blind: and her grandmother did remain about half an hour forth: and her sister [Jennet] did fetch her in again; but what she did when she was so forth, she cannot tell.
But the next morning, she heard that the said cow was dead. And she verily thinketh, that her said grandmother did bewitch the said cow to death.
Charming Milk into Butter
And further she sayth, that about two years ago, she having gotten a piggin full of blue milk by begging, brought it into the house of her grandmother, where (she [Alison Device] going forth presently, and staying about half an hour) there was butter to the quantity of a quarter of a pound in the said milk, and the quantity of the said milke still remaining; and her grandmother had no butter in the house when she went forth: during which time, her grandmother still lay in her bed.
Killing a child of Richard Baldwin
And further she sayth, that Richard Baldwin of Wheathead within the Forest of Pendle, about 2 years ago, fell out with her grandmother, and so would not let her come upon his land: and about four or five days then next after, her said grandmother did request her to lead her forth about ten of the clock in the night: which she accordingly did, and she stayed forth then about an hour, and her sister [Jennet] fetched her in again.
And she heard the next morning, that a woman child of the said Richard Baldwin was fallen sick; and as she did then hear, the said child did languish afterwards by the space of a year, or thereabouts, and died: and she verily thinketh, that her said grandmother did bewitch the said child to death.
And further, she sayth, that she heard her said grandmother say presently after her falling out with the said Baldwin, she would pray for the said Baldwin both still and loud: and she heard her curse the said Baldwin sundry times.
Killing of John Device
Alison Device sayth, that about eleven years ago, she and her mother had their fire-house broken, and all, or the most part of their linen clothes, and half a peck of cut oat-meal, and a quantity of meal gone, all which was worth twenty shillings or above: and upon a Sunday then next after, she did take a band and a coife [scarf], parcel of the goods aforesaid, upon the daughter of Anne Whittle, alias Chattox, and claimed them to be parcel of the goods stolen, as aforesaid.
She further sayth, that her father, called John Device, being afraid, that the said Anne Chattox should do him or his goods any hurt by witchcraft; did covenant with the said Anne, that if she would hurt neither of them, she should yearly have one aghen-dole of [oat]meal; which meal was yearly paid, until the year which her father died in, which was about eleven years since: her father upon his then-death-bed, taking it that the said Anne Whittle, alias Chattox, did bewitch him to death, because the said meal was not paid the last year.
Killing of Anne Nutter
And she also sayth, that about two years ago, she being in the house of Anthony Nutter of Pendle, and being then in company with Anne Nutter, daughter of the said Anthony: the said Anne Whittle, alias Chattox, came into the said Anthony Nutter's house, and seeing her, and the said Anne Nutter laughing, and saying, that they laughed at her the said Chattox: well said then (sayes Anne Chattox) "I will be meet with the one of you."
And upon the next day after, she the said Anne Nutter fell sick, and within three weeks after died.
Killing a Child of John Moore
And further, she sayth, that about two years ago, she hath heard, that the said Anne Whittle, alias Chattox, was suspected for bewitching the drink of John Moore of Higham: and not long after, she heard the said Chattox say, that she would meet with the said John Moore, or his.
Whereupon a child of the said John Moore's, called john, fell sick, and languished about half a year, and then died: during which languishing, shesaw the said Chattox sitting in her own garden, and a picture of clay like unto a child in her apron; which she spying, the said Anne Chattox would have hid with her apron: and she declaring the same to her mother [Elizabeth Device], her mother thought it was the picture of the said John Moore's child.
Killing of Hugh Moore
And she further sayth, that about six or seven years ago, the said Chattox did fall out with one Hugh Moore of Pendle about certain cattle of the said Moore's, which the said Moore did charge the said Chattox to have bewitched: for which the said Chattox did curse and worry the said Moore, and said she would be revenged of the said Moore: whereupon the said Moore presently fell sick, and languished about half a year, and then died. Which Moore upon his death-bed said, that the said Chattox had bewitched him to death.
A Cow Killed by Chattox
And she further sayth, that about sixe years ago, a daughter of the said Anne Chattox, called Elizabeth, having been at the house of John Nutter of the Bullhole, to beg or get a dish full of milk, which she had, and brought to her mother, who was about a fields breadth of the said Nutter's house, which her said mother Anne Chattox took and put into a can, and did charm the same with two sticks across in the same field: whereupon the said John Nutter's son came unto her, the said Chattox, and misliking her doings, put the said can and milk over with his foot; and the morning next after, a cow of the said John Nutter's fell sick, and so languished three or four days, and then died.
The Confession of Demdike
The said Elizabeth Southerns [alias Demdike] confesseth, and sayth; that about twenty years past, as she was coming homeward from begging, there met her near unto a stonepit in Gouldshey, in the said Forrest of Pendle, a spirit or devil in the shape of a boy, the one half of his coat black, and the other brown, who bade her stay, saying to her, that if she would give him her soul, she should have any thing that she would request.
Demdike's Familiar called 'Tibb'
Whereupon this examinate demanded his name? And the spirit answered, his name was Tibb: and so she in hope of such gain as was promised by the said devil or Tibb, was contented to give her soul to the said spirit: and for the space of five or six years next after, the said spirit or devil appeared at sundry times unto her about day-light gate [dawn], always bidding her stay, and asking her what she would have or do. To whom she replied, nay nothing: for she said, she wanted nothing yet.
And so about the end of the said six years, upon a Sabbath day in the morning, she having a little child upon her knee, and she being in a slumber, the said spirit appeared unto her in the likeness of a brown dog, forcing himself to her knee, to get blood under her left arm: and she being without any apparel saving her smock, the said devil did get blood under her left arm. And she awaking, said, 'Jesus save my child'; but had no power, nor could not say, 'Jesus save her self': whereupon the brown dog vanished out of her sight: after which, she was almost stark mad for the space of eight weeks.
Revenge against Richard Baldwin
And upon her examination, she further confesseth, and sayth. That a little before Christmas last, her [Elizabeth Device] daughter having been to help Richard Baldwin's folks at the mill: her daughter did bid her go to the said baldwin's house, and ask him some thing for her helping of his folks at the mill, and in her going to the said Baldwin's house, and near to the said house, she met with the said Richard Baldwin; which Baldwin said to her, and the said Alison Device (who at that time led her [Demdike], being blind) 'get out of my ground whores and witches, I will burn the one of you, and hang the other'.
To whom she answered: 'I care not for thee, hang thyself: presently whereupon, at going over the next hedge, the said spirit or devil called Tibb, appeared unto her, and said, revenge thee of him. To whom, she said again to the said spirit. Revenge thee either of him, or his. And so the said spirit vanished out of her sight, and she never saw him since.
And further she confesseth, and sayth, the speediest way to take a mans life away by witchcraft, is to make a picture of clay, like unto the shape of the person whom they mean to kill, and dry it thoroughly. And when they would have them to be ill in any one place more then an other; then take a thorn or pin, and prick it in that part of the picture you would so have to be ill. And when you would have any part of the body to consume away, then take that part of the picture, and burn it.
And when they would have the whole body to consume away, then take the remnant of the said picture, and burn it: and so there-upon by that means, the body shall die.
The said Elizabeth Southerns [alias Demdike] sayth upon her examination, that about half a year before Robert Nutter died, as she thinketh, she went to the house of Thomas Redfearne, which was about mid-summer, as she remembreth it. And there within three yards of the east end of the said house, she saw the said Anne Whittle, alias Chattox, and Anne Redferne wife of the said Thomas Redferne, and daughter of the said Anne Whittle, alias Chattox: the one on the one side of the ditch, and the other on the other: and two pictures of clay or marle lying by them: and the third picture the said Anne Whittle, alias Chattox, was making: and the said Anne Redferne her said daughter, wrought her clay or marle to make the third picture withal.
And she passing by them, the said spirit, called Tibb, in the shape of a black cat, appeared unto her, and said, turn back again, and do as they do: to whom she said, what are they doing? Whereunto the said spirit said; they are making three pictures: whereupon she asked whose pictures they were? Whereunto the said spirit said: they are the pictures of Christopher Nutter, Robert Nutter, and Marie, wife of the said Robert Nutter:
But she denying to go back to help them to make the pictures aforesaid; the said spirit seeming to be angry, therefore shove or pushed her into the ditch, and so shed the milk which she had in a can or kit: and so thereupon the spirit at that time vanished out of her sight: but presently after that, the said spirit appeared to her again in the shape of a hare, and so went with her about a quarter of a mile, but said nothing to her, nor she to it.
Shaun Underwood Say.
From start to finish I think that these so called Pendil hill witch trials was a farce and that they never got a fair trail, So from the moment they had been taken into custody they were guilty from the start.
If there spiritstruly do haunt the pendil Hills and woods then its only because there angry at the way they had been treated.
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