The Lancashire Witches of 1604–13 (Edexcel A-Level History): Revision Notes
Conduct and Outcomes of the Trial
The judges and their motivations
The Lancaster witch trials were presided over by two judges whose personal ambitions likely influenced the proceedings:
Judge Edward Bromley
- Made a Serjeant-at-law (senior barrister) and Baron of the Exchequer in 1610
- Knighted in the same year
- Worked as an assize judge alongside his London duties
- Hoped for promotion to a circuit closer to London
Judge James Altham
- Also worked as an assize judge
- Had recently sent an innocent woman to the gallows at York assizes based on testimony from nine-year-old Jennet Device
Judges' questionable motives
Both judges were keen to gain King James I's favour, and securing convictions for witchcraft may have been seen as a way to achieve this goal. This meant they were unlikely to give the accused a fair trial. Despite being renowned as rational and wise men, they were prepared to accept dubious evidence and confessions probably made under torture, as was common in witch trials of the period.
The structure of the trial
Trial dates and location
- Main trial: 18-19 August 1612 at Lancaster
- Jennet Preston tried separately at York on 27 July 1612 and found guilty
Trial procedure
The trial followed a standard format but had several serious flaws:
- Each suspected witch was asked whether they believed themselves to be guilty
- All but one pleaded 'not guilty'
- A jury was sworn in
- The two judges divided the cases between them
- Roger Nowell acted as prosecutor
- All Justices of the Peace involved and all witnesses were required to attend
Problems with fairness
The assize courts appeared relatively fair on the surface, but the reality was very different:
- No right to prepare a defence: Defendants were not allowed to prepare any defence
- Charges unknown: Many did not know the exact charges against them until they were read out in court
- Dubious evidence accepted: The judges accepted questionable testimony and confessions
- Torture likely: Confessions were probably obtained through torture
- Child witnesses: Nine-year-old Jennet Device was used as a key witness
- High value placed on confessions: A witch's confession was held in high regard as evidence, making it almost impossible to defend oneself after confessing
Individual trials
Old Chattox
With Old Demdike now dead, Old Chattox was clearly the most senior witch on trial.
Charges and evidence
- Formally charged with the murder of Robert Nutter 18 years earlier
- Despite Alizon Device claiming Chattox was responsible for other deaths (John Device, Anne Nutter, Hugh Moore), she was not charged with these murders
- Pleaded not guilty to the murder of Robert Nutter
- Her statement to Roger Nowell was read out
- Demdike's statement suggested Chattox and Anne Redferne had been seen with clay images of people they intended to bewitch
Conduct in court
According to Potts' account, Chattox spoke plainly and with a measure of truth. However, when her confession was read out, she knew she had no hope of being reprieved. She:
- Broke down in court
- Acknowledged the evidence was true
- Asked for God's forgiveness
- Begged for mercy for her daughter, Anne Redferne
Verdict: Guilty (sentencing delayed as judge rushed to hear Elizabeth Device's case)
Elizabeth Device
Old Demdike's daughter was presented by Potts as an extremely ugly and confrontational woman.
Charges
- Three murders: John and James Barley, and Henry Mitton
Conduct in court
Elizabeth's behaviour contrasted sharply with Chattox's meekness:
- Had to be taken from the courtroom kicking and screaming before the trial could begin
- When her daughter Jennet was brought in, Elizabeth cursed angrily at her and made her cry
- Elizabeth was led away so Jennet could give evidence
- Jennet was placed on a table so all the court could see her
Key Evidence Against Elizabeth Device
The prosecution relied on multiple sources of testimony:
- Jennet Device's testimony: Well-rehearsed and confident; stated her mother had been a witch for three or four years
- Familiar called Ball: Jennet claimed to have seen this familiar on several occasions; it had even spoken to her at their house
- James Device's testimony: Read out, demonstrating Elizabeth's role in organising the meeting at Malkin Tower
Final defence
When allowed back in court, Elizabeth:
- Denied her previous confession
- Spoke against her own children
Verdict: Guilty
James Device
James was in a severely weakened state during the trial, showing signs of serious illness or weakness.
Physical condition
- Unable to speak or stand
- Had to be held up in court
- This may explain why only he and Chattox were examined for a final time on 19 May (fear they might die before trial)
Charges
- Murder of Anne Towneley and John Duckworth
- Later also charged with murders of John Hargreaves and Blaze Hargreaves (crimes he had never admitted to previously)
Evidence
- His detailed confession from 27 April was read out
- He acknowledged his confession was true
- Anne Towneley's husband gave evidence (though Potts omits details of this testimony)
- Jennet Device was called again to give evidence "with great eloquence" according to Potts
- Jennet stated she knew James had killed the Hargreaves
- She claimed James' familiar, Dandie, appeared as a black dog at Malkin Tower before each murder
Verdict: Guilty (found guilty along with Chattox and Elizabeth Device)
Anne Redferne
Old Chattox's daughter received different treatment across two trials.
First trial (18 August evening)
- Charged with the murder of Robert Nutter
- Found not guilty - the only one of the original four detained women who did not confess to witchcraft
- Evidence against her appeared weak
Second trial (Wednesday, 19 August)
- Presented with a further charge: murdering Robert's father, Christopher Nutter
- Exactly the same evidence used against her mother was presented
- This included Demdike's account of seeing them with three clay figures
Chattox's intervention
In a desperate attempt to save her daughter:
- Chattox was brought into court
- She stated that she made the clay figures (taking sole responsibility)
- Fell to her knees begging the court to spare Anne
Verdict: Guilty (despite her mother's efforts)
Alice Nutter
Alice Nutter's case stands out because she was from a relatively high-status family, making her unusual among the accused.
Background and motivation
Potts explained that while most witches were poor women desiring riches, the Devil could seduce wealthier women with promises of revenge against their enemies.
Charges
- Murder of Henry Mitton (together with Old Demdike and Elizabeth Device)
Evidence
- Statements from Elizabeth Device, James Device, and Jennet Device all agreed she attended the meeting at Malkin Tower
- Identity parade: Judge Bromley arranged for Jennet Device to pick out witches from a line-up including other prisoners and women from the street
- Jennet identified Alice Nutter and took her by the hand
- Jennet even identified where Alice sat at the sabbat (witches' meeting)
Refusal to confess
Unlike many others, Alice:
- Refused to confess throughout
- Perhaps expected her status and connections to secure a last-minute reprieve
Historical mystery
Historians have long struggled to explain why Alice made it all the way to the gallows without her influential family and associates intervening on her behalf.
Verdict: Guilty
Katherine Hewitt
Charges
- Accused of being present at the Malkin Tower meeting
- Charged with the murder of a child at Colne
Evidence
- James Device's statement was read out, referencing Hewitt and Alice Gray's confession at Malkin Tower to the murder
- Elizabeth Device's statement was read out
- Identity parade was used (possibly the same one as in Alice Nutter's trial)
Verdict: Guilty (along with Anne Redferne and Alice Nutter)
John and Jane Bulcock
Mother and son were tried together.
Charges
- Accused of bewitching Jennet Deane, causing her to go mad
Evidence
- Identity parade: Jennet Device had been unable to name the Bulcocks previously, but identified both Jane and John in the line-up
- James Device's questionable evidence was used again
Verdict: Guilty (along with Alizon Device)
Alizon Device
This was the trial of the person who had begun the entire affair.
Dramatic confrontation
- Her victim, John Law, was present at the trial
- Upon seeing him in court, Alizon repeated her original confession
Key evidence
- Alizon's confession included:
- Her initiation into witchcraft
- Her bewitching of Law
- John Law gave evidence presenting a similar account of the events of 18 March
Remorse and limitations
Alizon showed genuine remorse:
- Asked for John Law's forgiveness
- When asked if she could restore him to health, stated she was unable to
- Claimed that if Old Demdike were still alive, she would be able to help him
Verdict: Guilty
Margaret Pearson
This case differed significantly from the others as it was the third time Pearson had been on trial.
Previous accusations
- Previously accused of both murder and witchcraft on two separate occasions
Current charges
- Accused of killing a horse belonging to Mr Dodgson
Evidence
- Nicholas Bannister presented the case (not Roger Nowell)
- Old Chattox was brought out as a witness against her
- Chattox stated she had seen Pearson's familiar in the shape of a cloven-footed man
- Chattox recalled Pearson telling her in their shared cell that she killed the horse by climbing into its stable and sitting on it until it died
Verdict and sentence: Guilty, but sentenced to only four days of public humiliation in the pillory
Significance of lenient sentence
This unusually lenient sentence reflects the lingering doubts associated with trying a woman who had been through the courts twice before without conviction.
The Samlesbury Witches
Potts dedicates 24 pages to this trial, which was completely unconnected to events in Pendle.
The accused
- Jennet Bierley
- Ellen Bierley
- Jane Southworth
Accusation
- A 14-year-old girl, Grace Sowerbutts, accused them of practicing witchcraft
Outcome
- Judge Bromley had already ordered the release of other defendants from Samlesbury
- The case was thrown out of court
- Grace Sowerbutts was exposed by Bromley to be unreliable
- She was apparently under the influence of a Catholic priest
Additional defendant
- Isobel Roby was also brought to trial
- She appears to be an outsider with no connection to Pendle
- Outcome not specified in detail
Final sentencing
At the end of the proceedings:
Those found guilty
- All were brought back into court
- The judge informed them they were to be executed by hanging
Those found not guilty
The following were acquitted (though Potts omits details of their trials):
- Elizabeth Astley
- John Ramsden
- Alice Gray
- Lawrence Hay
- Isabel Sidegraves
They were briefly addressed by the judge before being released.
The impact of Thomas Potts' account
The production of Potts' account
Potts' unique position
As Clerk of the Court, Thomas Potts had a unique insight into the trial. His account is entirely first-hand and provides our main source of information about the proceedings.
Official nature
- The two judges ordered Potts to write an account that could be made public
- Completed on 16 November 1612 (just three months after the trials)
- Judge Bromley checked and corrected the manuscript before publication
- Published in 1613
- Both judges took a very close interest in the production
- May have even written sections themselves
This official involvement raises questions about the objectivity and accuracy of the account.
Potts' background
Upbringing and connections
- Brought up in the home of Thomas Knyvet
- Knyvet had been credited with apprehending Guy Fawkes in 1605
- This connection shows Potts moved in influential circles
Career limitations
- Did not go to university
- This made a career in law out of reach for him
- Instead, took positions as clerk in various courts
Later career
- Appears to have become a well-regarded civil servant
- His work on the witch trials brought him recognition
The impact of The Wonderfull Discoverie of Witches
Potts' stated aims
In the introduction to his work, Potts stated that:
- The judges placed their respect in him by asking him to publish the account
- His aim was to hold up the trials as an example to others
Significance
This account became the most detailed record of an English witch trial and has shaped our understanding of the Lancashire witch trials ever since. However, historians must be cautious about:
- Its potential bias (given the judges' involvement in its production)
- Its propaganda purpose (to justify the convictions and serve as a warning)
- Potts' own perspective and possible embellishments
The account shows how witch trials were used not just to punish alleged witches, but also to demonstrate the power of the legal system and reinforce belief in witchcraft among the population.
Key Points to Remember:
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The trial was conducted over two days (18-19 August 1612) at Lancaster, with defendants given no opportunity to prepare a defence or even know the charges until they were read in court.
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Key evidence relied heavily on the testimony of nine-year-old Jennet Device against her own family members, along with dubious confessions, identity parades, and claims about familiars (spirits in animal form).
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The judges, Altham and Bromley, were motivated by desire for royal favour and were prepared to accept questionable evidence and confessions likely obtained through torture.
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Of those tried for the Pendle witchcraft accusations, ten were found guilty and sentenced to hanging, while Margaret Pearson received a lenient sentence of public humiliation, and several others were acquitted.
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Thomas Potts' account, The Wonderfull Discoverie of Witches (1613), was written under the judges' supervision and served as official propaganda to justify the convictions and warn others, making it a valuable but potentially biased historical source.