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THE LANCASHIRE WITCHES OF 1604-13 - Coggle Diagram
THE LANCASHIRE WITCHES OF 1604-13
Why were the outcomes significant?
the judges
16th August judges arrived
Sir Edward Bromley was also Baron of the Exchequer and was gicen the role of mediator with the House of Lords by the King
both held similar views to the King/had a close relationship with the King. concerned with gaining the king's favour and may have achieved this through convictions
Sir James Altham had previously been Baron of the Exchequer and had a repuation as an orthodox Protestant
death of Old Demdike
Chattox claimed she had heard her confess to several murders
after her death Chattox changed her story so blamed lied largely with Demdike
Conduct and outcomes of the trial
not allowed to prepare defence and may have not known charges against them
Anne Redferne, Katherine Hewitt and Alice Nutter found guilty
Old Chattox and James Device continued to plead not guilty but all were found guilty
Thomas Potts was clerk of the court so had an insight. judges ordered him to write the account but it was corrected and checked before publication. speeches of the judges edited to improve them
provided an account that justified the trials and allowed Bromley and Altham to advance their careers
executed 19 August and each suspect was asked if they believed themselves guilty
all but one pleaded guilty
Questionable evidence
came from a 9 year old and her brother
James' testimony included range of cliches
What was the significance of the context?
attitudes to witchcraft before 1604
maleficium was the overwhelming accusation made
relied on local community to make accusations
Economic and social context
mortality rates increased which caused population to increase to 2.5 million
1609 agreement was made with the duchy whereby copyholders were expected to pay lump sum of 12 years rent to confirm their rights and privilleges
illegal squatting and unrecorded tenancies were common
copyholders came to blows with the duchy of Lancaster
subtenants had to pay rent 25 times higher than the rent paid by copyholders in the first decade of the 17th century
witches accused of damaging livestock, showing their relevance to economy
tenants faced constant threat of eviction
fixed rents and entry fines introduced
rents increased by 39% and inflation increased
categorised as an upland pastoral economy with limited arable farming
Pendle forest passed into crown ownership in 1399
copyholders benefited through increased profits
Religious context
closure of Whalley abbey meant a loss of charity and education to the population
puritan clergy and assciates in the gentry could weild more influence
older witches were charged with using spells based upon corrupted versions of old catholic prayers indicating the reformation had limited impact
local clergy came to blow with ther superiors i.e. Christopher Nuttall
protestant reformation but was a refuge for recusant catholics
Why and with what effect were the Lancashire families accused of witchcraft?
Malkin Tower meeting
described as a witches' sabbit
20 witches present
aimed to release four of the imprisoned women, carry out a ritual that would give name of Alizon Devices spirit and provide protection to Jennet Preston
JP Henry Hargreaves visited with the help of James Device and found clay image and teeth
Roger Nowell
Roger was an experienced JP and local landowner
Nowell was familiar with Perkin's discourse of the 'Damned Art of witches' which promoted the notion of a pact with the devil
Alizon's confession
recounted a time she left milk by Demdike's bed and returned to find it replaced with a quarter pound of butter, even though she had not left the bed
claimed Chattox was guilty of the murder of Anne Nutter
Demdike, Chattox and Anne Redferne were all arrested three days later, where several neighbours were prepared to testify against them
both Chattox and Demdike confessed
described her initiation into witchcraft and claimed her grandmother, Old Demdike, and she was persuaded to take a familiar
Initial Encounter and Abraham Law
Alizon claimed her familiar spirit, a black dog, appeared to her immediately and she commanded it to harm Law
Christopher Nutter claimed he was bewitched in 1595 pressumably by Old Chattox
Anne Whittle (Old Chattox) and Elizabeth Southerns (Old Demdike) fell out around 1601
began with disagreement over theft of clothing and grain
Abraham Law, John's son brought Alizon to his father and she begged for forgiveness but he still reported the matter to the local magistrate Roger Nowell
Alizon Device meets John Law and asks him for pins in 1612, when he refuses, she reacts angrily and he suffers great pain, becoming paralysed down one side