In the early 17th century, Lancashire was a region of great concern for the English Crown. King James I viewed it with suspicion, perceiving it as a hotbed of Catholic dissent and potential rebellion. The Gunpowder Plot of 1605 had only intensified these fears, serving as a stark reminder of the Catholic threat to his reign.
Despite the dissolution of monasteries during the Reformation, Lancashire remained a stronghold for the “old faith,” and its reputation as a wild, lawless area was well-known. With few roads and widespread illiteracy, communication with the outside world was limited, making it a fertile ground for superstition and fear.
King James was particularly wary of witchcraft, having believed that a plot against him by Scottish witches had been thwarted in the 1590s. In 1597, he published Daemonologie, a treatise that not only explored the nature of witchcraft but also encouraged witch-hunting. Thus, when accusations of witchcraft arose in Lancashire, they were met with a zealous response from local authorities, particularly from Roger Nowell, an ambitious Justice of the Peace at Read Hall, Pendle.
The events that unfolded in March 1612 began with a seemingly innocuous encounter between a pedlar named John Law and a teenage girl named Alizon Device. On March 18th, while traveling on the Trawden Road near Colne, Alizon asked Law for some pins. The interaction quickly escalated into a quarrel, during which Alizon angrily cursed Law. Shortly thereafter, Law collapsed, paralyzed and unable to speak, leading to speculation that he had been bewitched.
Law’s son, Abraham, received word of his father’s condition on March 21st and rushed to Colne. Upon arrival, he found his father in a state of paralysis, described as a “sufficient stout man of bodie.” Today, we might recognize Law’s symptoms as those of a stroke, exacerbated by the stress of the argument. However, in the context of the time, the cause was attributed to witchcraft.
Abraham sought out Alizon and brought her to his father, who accused her of bewitching him. In a moment of desperation, Alizon fell to her knees, confessed, and begged for forgiveness, which Law granted. This act of contrition did little to quell the rising tide of suspicion, and just days later, on March 30th, Abraham took Alizon, her mother Elizabeth, and her brother James to see Justice Nowell.
Nowell’s investigation into Alizon’s claims revealed a web of accusations and familial ties steeped in witchcraft lore. Alizon recounted chilling stories about her grandmother, Elizabeth Southerns, known as Demdike, who had allegedly instructed her to allow a “deuill or familiar” to suck at her. Alizon also spoke of John Nutter, a local man who had asked Demdike to tend to his sick cow, which died shortly thereafter. Alizon claimed that the cow had been bewitched.
The gravity of Alizon’s testimony deepened as she described how her grandmother had cursed Richard Baldwin, whose daughter fell ill and died after a year of suffering. Alizon’s narrative included a family feud with the Whittles, another local family, detailing how Anne Whittle, known as Chattox, had stolen goods from her father, leading to accusations of witchcraft when her father fell ill and claimed he had been cursed in revenge.
As Alizon’s story unfolded, it became clear that the community was steeped in fear and superstition. She recounted how Chattox had cursed her and her friend Anne Nutter, who fell ill and died shortly after. The tales of “pictures of clay,” curses, and mysterious deaths painted a vivid picture of a society gripped by paranoia.
Elizabeth Device, Alizon’s mother, further fueled the witchcraft narrative by claiming that Demdike bore a witch’s mark on her body, a physical sign of her alleged pact with the devil. Alizon’s brother, John, also testified that Alizon had bewitched the daughter of John Bulcock, further entrenching the family in the web of accusations.
Nowell, alarmed by the testimonies, ordered Alizon to be detained. Just three days later, he traveled to Fence to examine Demdike and Chattox personally. The stage was set for a series of trials that would not only change the lives of those involved but also mark a significant chapter in the history of witch hunts in England.
The events of 1612 in Lancashire serve as a stark reminder of the dangers of superstition and the consequences of societal fears. The witch hunts were not merely a series of trials; they were a reflection of a society grappling with its identity in the wake of the Reformation and the ever-present threat of rebellion. As we delve into this dark history, it is essential to recognize the human stories behind the accusations and the tragic outcomes that ensued. Understanding these events helps us appreciate the importance of justice, reason, and compassion in the face of fear and uncertainty.
