Lancashire - accusation of families Flashcards
(18 cards)
what was the initial encounter that instigated the case?
Alizon Device and John Law
Alizon was begging outside Pendle Forest and asked him for pins
John refused to give her any, so she reacted angrily and John suddenly came paralysed down one side and couldn’t speak
Law then encountered Alizon’s familiar, a black dog
what was Alizon’s account of the encounter with John Law?
her familiar appeared to her and asked if she wanted it to harm him, and she told it to do so
what are the contradictions in the accounts of the original encounter?
Alizon confessed to harming Law because he wouldn’t give her pins
Law’s son, Abraham, told the court John did give the pins to Alizon
what was the role of Abraham Law?
John Law’s son
aware of his father’s condition via letter
visited his father, searched for Alizon and brought her to him
Alizon begged for forgiveness, which John gave her, but Abraham reported the matter to local magistrate Roger Nowell
what was the family rivalry?
some clothing and grain were stolen from Alizon Device and she blamed Anne Redferne, daughter of Old Chattox
the two families traded accusations
Old Chattox was more powerful than Old Demdike and was offered a settlement from John Device, which settled the situation until his death
what was Old Chattox’s earlier reputation?
accusations of witchcraft had been made previously
Old Chattox had lived as a tenant on the Nutters’ land
- Robert Nutter fell ill and blamed her
- his father Christopher Nutter also fell ill and died shortly after Robert
- Christopher insisted he’d been bewitched
who was Roger Nowell?
JP and landowner
had been high Sheriff of Lancashire and had strong connections with high-profile Protestants
it has been speculated that he was familiar with ‘Discourse of the Damned Art of Witches’ (1608) which promoted the idea witches were in a pact with the Devil
how was Roger Nowell involved?
he was informed about Alizon Device by Abraham Law
he interrogated Alizon and she confessed to cursing John Law
what was Alizon Device’s confession?
initiated into witchcraft by Old Demdike, who encouraged her to take a familiar
described Old Demdike’s witchcraft
- bewitched John Nutter’s cow
- turned milk into butter in half an hour without leaving bed
- cursed Richard Bladwin’s daughter
explained family rivalry and claimed they were both witches by Chattox had committed particularly heinous crimes
- murdering Anne Nutter
- threatening John Moore and his son they became ill and died
what was the impact of Alizon’s confession?
Old Demdike, Old Chattox, and Anne Redferene called in for questioning
what was Demdike’s confession?
unable to invoke the name of Jesus after meeting with her familiar
made an effigy of a person to bewitch them
her confession may have been given under torture or threats
accused Old Chattox of making effigies of the Nutter family
what was Chattox’s confession?
admitted to giving her soul away to a man abut 15 years earlier and that it encouraged her to harm people
what statements were given by other people?
Margaret Crook - Anne Redferene had bewitched her brother, Robert Nutter
John Nutter - explained the story of his father allegedly killed by witchcraft
James Robinson - evidence that Chattox and Redferne were well-known witches
what do we know of Anne’s involvement?
according to Potts’ account, Anne didn’t say anything but was implicated through confessions and witness statements
how was the investigation continued after the discovery of the meeting at Malkin Tower?
Henry Hardgreaves, a JP, and James Device visited a suspect, Jennet Preston, in order to James to identify her as someone present at the meeting
Nowell and Nicholas Minister, another magistrate, examined Elizabeth, James and Jennet Device to find out what happened at the meeting
what did Jennet Device reveal about the meeting at Talking tower?
James had stolen a sheep to be eaten and had killed it in front of her
said there were 20 witches at the meeting, but could only name 6
what did Nowell discover about the meeting at Malkin Tower?
it had three objectives:
- secure the release of the 4 women imprisoned at Lancaster Castle
- carry out a ritual to gave a name to Alizon Device’s spirit
- provide protection to Jennet Preston
why was there questionable evidence involved in the case?
much of the evidence came from Jennet, who was only 9
the meeting was likely between neighbours and friends worried they’d be implicated
the evidence James gave about himself included many cliches, and he claimed he took on a familiar and killed 2 people
