The Pendle Witches Trivia Quiz

Answer: August 1612

The two main families involved had been suspected of witchcraft for many years but there was no proof, only accusations. If a cow died, a barn burned, a child was ill, the local community immediately blamed the witches. It was believed that proof of witchcraft could be obtained by 'swimming' the witches but this was illegal and despite local pressure, the justices refused to obtain proof that way.

Answer: Daemonologie

James I travelled to Denmark to marry Anne of Denmark. The Danish people were terrified of witches. On the way back to England, there was a great storm which James believed was caused by the North Berwick Witches who were immediately put on trial. James attended their trial and wrote the Daemonologie afterwards.

Answer: Maleficarum

Alizon Device, Old Demdike's grand-daughter, was accused of bewitching a pedlar, John Law, who refused to open his pack and either sell or give her some pins. John Law refused and Alizon cursed him. He was a big man, his pack was heavy and he chased Alizon up a steep hill on a hot day. John Law promptly collapsed, more than likely from a stroke. Whether or not he was actually bewitched, Alizon definitely believed that she had caused the collapse and implicated Old Demdike, Mother Chattox and her daughter, Ann Redfearne. All four women were arrested and committed for trial at Lancaster Assize Court.

Answer: Roger Nowell and Nicholas Bannister

Roger Nowell was the Justice of the Peace for Pendle. Nicholas Bannister was the Justice of the Peace for Altham, close to Pendle. Where two justices were required they sat together. There were other justices, such as Thomas Heber, Roger Nowell's son-in-law, but Roger Nowell and Nicholas Bannister were also of the Quorum - justices who knew more of the law than the rest.

Answer: Holding a meeting and plotting

Both witch families and their associates met at Malkin Tower (Demdike's home) on Good Friday, 10th April 1612. James Device had stolen a sheep and they roasted it. James Device, Demdike's grandson, alleged that there was a plot to kill Thomas Covell, the Governor of Lancaster Castle jail, blow up the jail and rescue the four witches. Just seven years earlier, Guy Fawkes had tried to blow up the Houses of Parliament so the plot was considered possibly true by the judges although James was apparently retarded.

Answer: 10

Old Demdike (Elizabeth Sowtherns) died in Lancaster jail before the trial. Elizabeth, Alizon and James Device, Chattox (Ann Whittle), Ann Redfearne, Jane and John Bulcock, Alice Nutter, Katherine Hewitt and Isabel Robey were hanged at Lancaster Moor on 20th August, 1612.

Another witch arrested was Jennet Preston who was tried at York Assizes because she came from Gisburn which was then in Yorkshire. She was hanged at York on 29th July 1612. At the same time the Salmesbury witches were also tried in Lancaster, five of them were hanged, four were acquitted because the judges thought the allegations against them were total nonsense.

Answer: Sentenced to be pilloried

The other witch was Margaret Pearson. She was tried three times. The first time was for murder by witchcraft. She was acquitted. She was tried a second time for bewitching a neighbour. She was acquitted. She was tried a third time for bewitching a horse and was found guilty.

She was sentenced to stand on the pillory in Clitheroe, Padiham, Colne and Lancaster on consecutive market days with a sign on her head detailing her crime.

Answer: She was a rich woman

Alice Nutter was a rich widow and Chattox's family lived on her land. She never ever admitted her guilt. Lancashire had many Roman Catholic families and, because she was rich, it was suggested that she was going to a mass, which was illegal, and was wrongly arrested.

At the time, if they were captured, Roman Catholic priests would be hung, drawn and quartered. However, several of Alice Nutter's husband's family had died in mysterious circumstances, always to her benefit. Her name is on a grave at St Mary's Church at Newchurch in Pendle. People call this the Witch's Grave and there is a statue, by David Palmer, of Alice Nutter hobbling back to her home at the Roughlea.

Answer: 9

Jennet Device was Demdike's grand-daughter and she was 9 years old. Under normal circumstances she would have been too young to testify but the Daemonologie allowed this in the case of witchcraft. Jennet gave the names of all the people present at the Good Friday meeting and implicated both families.

Her mother, Elizabeth Device, had to be removed from the court room for cursing her. These people really believed that witches had the power to cause harm. There was a long standing feud between the families and they did more harm to their own cases by accusing each other out of spite and malice than the harm caused by Jennet Device.

Answer: The Wonderful Discoverie of Witches in the County of Lancaster

Master Thomas Potts was the clerk to Sir Edward Bromley and Sir James Altham who were the judges at the trial. The book is not a court transcript but a description of what happened. Because several of the witches including Alice Nutter refused to admit their crimes some people questioned their guilt so the book was verified and published by order of the judges.