The Pendle Witch Fourth Centenary Handbook by John Clayton

Author:John Clayton
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: witch trials, chattox, pendle witches, lancashire witches, malkin tower, demdyke, 1612 witch, lancaster castle witches, pendle forest, alice nutter

The evidence against Elizabeth Southern was never put before the Lancaster court owing to her having died in custody. We will probably never know what information the bulk of her statements contained but Potts was at pains to furnish at least some of the information. He also used Demdike's reputation as an indictment of all the accused, despite the fact she was never convicted. The following is Potts' description of Demdike within the Wonderfull Discoverie preamble:

Therefore I pray you give me leave, (with your patience and favour,) before I proceed to the Indictment, Arraignment, and Tryall of such as were Prisoners in the Castle, to lay open the life and death of this damnable and malicious Witch, of so long continuance of whom our whole business hath such dependence, that without the particular Declaration and Record of her Evidence, with the circumstaunces, wee shall never bring any thing to good perfection: for from this Sincke of villanie and mischiefe, have all the rest proceeded; as you shall have them in order.

Shee was a very old woman, about the age of Foure-score yeares, and had been a Witch for fiftie yeares. Shee dwelt in the Forrest of Pendle, a vast place, fitte for her profession: What shee committed in her time, no man knowes. Thus lives shee securely for many yeares, brought up her owne Children, instructed her Graund-children, and tooke great care and pains to bring them to be Witches. Shee was a generall agent for the Deuill in all these partes: no man escaped her, or her Furies, that ever gave them any occassion of offence, or denyed them any thing they stood need of: And certaine it is, no man neere them, was secure or free from danger ......the common opinion of the Kinges subjects for the losses of their Children, Friendes, Goodes, and Cattle, (as there could not be so greate Fire without some Smoake)

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