The History of the Pendle Witches
The Pendle Witches lived during the reigns of Elizabeth 1st (1558-1603) and James 1st (1603-1625). The only source of information as to what really occurred is found in a book called, "The Wonderful Discoverie of Witches in the Countie of Lancaster," written by Mr Thomas Potts in November 1612. It was published three months after the execution of the witches.
Potts was the Clerk to the Judge of the Lancaster Assize of 1612 and it was on their instructions that the book was issued.
It contains the depoitions and confessions of the accused, which were made at the Magistrat's Court, as well as the evidence of the witnesses at the Assize Court. It expresses the editor's personal view that the "Witches" were murderers and that their "foul crimes" merited the death sentence imposed.
Several cases of demonic possission were recorded locally, but that of 1596, in which two grandchildren of Edmund Starkie of Huntroyd were the victims, is important. This is because Roger Nowell of Read Hall was a neart neighbour of the Starkies and he had so much involvement in the Pendle Witch trials.
In the 21st century we would diagnose that the Starkie grandchildren exhibited all the signs of epilepsy. However, Roger Nowell in the 16th Century would certainly have believed that their condition was due to evil spirits.
People who could believe in the existence of evil spirits accepted without question the wildest tales about the powers and activities of those persons who were reputed to have personal connections with the Devil's Agents. Thus a sudden death, a prolonged illness or a loss on one's farm, was attributed to the evil designs of some witch or other.
King James I believed so thoroughly in witchcraft and the need to eradicate it, that he wrote and published a book called, "Daemonlogie" in 1597. Under its influence and Act was passed in 1604 which imposed the death penalty for making a covenant with an evil spirit, using a corpse for magic, hurting life or limb, procuring love or injuring cattle by means of charms.
The Judges at the trial at Lancaster (James Altham and Edward Bromley) seem to have been biased against the prisoners, fo rthey did not point out the serious contradictions given in the evidence of witnesses and enouraged the start wtiness for the prosecution, Jenet Device who was 9 years old, to give evidence against her own mother, brother and sister.
The prosecutor at Lancaster Assize was Roger Nowell of Read Hall, a local magistrate, who had already made a preliminary examination, written out with his own hand depositions and confessions, and finally sent twelve witches to Lancaster and one to York to await trial.
Little is known about Roger Nowell other than he was a wealthy landowner and had been High Sherriff of Lancaster in 1610. He was fond of litigation and possibly responsibly for building up the whole affair of the Pendle Witches from a few wild accusations made against Old Demdyke (Elizabeth Southern) by a young girl who was herself a convicted thief.
Potts was the Clerk to the Judge of the Lancaster Assize of 1612 and it was on their instructions that the book was issued.
It contains the depoitions and confessions of the accused, which were made at the Magistrat's Court, as well as the evidence of the witnesses at the Assize Court. It expresses the editor's personal view that the "Witches" were murderers and that their "foul crimes" merited the death sentence imposed.
Several cases of demonic possission were recorded locally, but that of 1596, in which two grandchildren of Edmund Starkie of Huntroyd were the victims, is important. This is because Roger Nowell of Read Hall was a neart neighbour of the Starkies and he had so much involvement in the Pendle Witch trials.
In the 21st century we would diagnose that the Starkie grandchildren exhibited all the signs of epilepsy. However, Roger Nowell in the 16th Century would certainly have believed that their condition was due to evil spirits.
People who could believe in the existence of evil spirits accepted without question the wildest tales about the powers and activities of those persons who were reputed to have personal connections with the Devil's Agents. Thus a sudden death, a prolonged illness or a loss on one's farm, was attributed to the evil designs of some witch or other.
King James I believed so thoroughly in witchcraft and the need to eradicate it, that he wrote and published a book called, "Daemonlogie" in 1597. Under its influence and Act was passed in 1604 which imposed the death penalty for making a covenant with an evil spirit, using a corpse for magic, hurting life or limb, procuring love or injuring cattle by means of charms.
The Judges at the trial at Lancaster (James Altham and Edward Bromley) seem to have been biased against the prisoners, fo rthey did not point out the serious contradictions given in the evidence of witnesses and enouraged the start wtiness for the prosecution, Jenet Device who was 9 years old, to give evidence against her own mother, brother and sister.
The prosecutor at Lancaster Assize was Roger Nowell of Read Hall, a local magistrate, who had already made a preliminary examination, written out with his own hand depositions and confessions, and finally sent twelve witches to Lancaster and one to York to await trial.
Little is known about Roger Nowell other than he was a wealthy landowner and had been High Sherriff of Lancaster in 1610. He was fond of litigation and possibly responsibly for building up the whole affair of the Pendle Witches from a few wild accusations made against Old Demdyke (Elizabeth Southern) by a young girl who was herself a convicted thief.