| The Pendle Witches: The confession of Demdike | | As recorded by Thomas Potts, the clerk of the court at the trial of the Pendle Witches | Demdike, whose real name was Elizabeth Southerns, died in gaol awaiting trial on charges of witchcraft. She was believed to have been responsible for the murder of three people and confessed to bewitching to death the daughter of Richard Baldwin.
Demdike lived at Malkin Tower with her daughter Elizabeth Device and her grandchildren: Alizon Device, James and Jennet. Alizon, James and Elizabeh were all hanged for witchcraft at Lancaster. | | Note: Demdike is referred to throughout as 'the examinate' | | Demdike tells how she sold her soul to a spirit named 'Tibb' | | The said elizabeth southerns confesseth, and sayth; that about twentie yeares past, as she was comming homeward from begging, there met her this examinate neere unto a stonepit in gouldshey, in the sayd forrest of pendle, a spirit or devill in the shape of a boy, the one halfe of his coate blacke, and the other browne, who bade this examinate stay, saying to her, that if she would give him her soule, she should have any thing that she would request. Whereupon this examinate demanded his name? And the spirit answered, his name was tibb: and so this examinate in hope of such gaine as was promised by the sayd devill or tibb, was contented to give her soule to the said spirit: and for the space of five or sixe yeares next after, the sayd spirit or devill appeared at sundry times unto her this examinate about day-light gate, alwayes bidding her stay, and asking her this examinate what she would have or do. To whom this examinate replyed, nay nothing: for she this examinate said, she wanted nothing yet. | | Demdike tells how 'Tibb' drank her blood | | And so about the end of the said sixe yeares, upon a sabboth day in the morning, this examinate having a litle child upon her knee, and she being in a slumber, the sayd spirit appeared unto her in the likenes of a browne dogg, forcing himselfe to her knee, to get blood under her left arme: and she being without any apparrell saving her smocke, the said devill did get blood under her left arme. And this examinate awaking, sayd, jesus save my child; but had no power, nor could not say, jesus save her selfe: whereupon the browne dogge vanished out of this examinats sight: after which, this examinate was almost starke madd for the space of eight weekes. | | Demdike tells how 'Tibb' suggested to her avenging the family of Richard Baldwin after he refused to pay her daughter wages | | And upon her examination, she further confesseth, and saith. That a little before christmas last, this examinates daughter having been to helpe richard baldwyns folkes at the mill: this examinates daughter did bid her this examinate goe to the said baldwyns house, and aske him some thing for her helping of his folkes at the mill, (as aforesaid:) and in this examinates going to the said baldwyns house, and neere to the said house, she mette with the said richard baldwyn; which baldwyn sayd to this examinate, and the said alizon device (who at that time ledde this examinate, being blinde) get out of my ground whores and witches, i will burne the one of you, and hang the other. To whom this examinate answered: i care not for thee, hang thy selfe: presently whereupon, at this examinates going over the next hedge, the said spirit or devill called tibb, appeared unto this examinat, and sayd, revenge thee of him. To whom, this examinate sayd againe to the said spirit. Revenge thee either of him, or his. And so the said spirit vanished out of her sight, and she never saw him since. | | Demdike explains how to kill someone using 'pictures of clay' | | And further this examinate confesseth, and sayth, that the speediest way to take a mans life away by witchcraft, is to make a picture of clay, like unto the shape of the person whom they meane to kill, & dry it thorowly: and when they would have them to be ill in any one place more then an other; then take a thorne or pinne, and pricke it in that part of the picture you would so have to be ill: and when you would have any part of the body to consume away, then take that part of the picture, and burne it. And when they would have the whole body to consume away, then take the remnant of the sayd picture, and burne it: and so thereupon by that meanes, the body shall die. | | | Demdike incriminates Chattox & Anne Redferne | | Demdike gave important evidence against Anne Whittle, alias Chattox, and her daughter Anne Redferne, who were both hanged for witchcraft. | | Demdike tells how she saw Chattox and her daughter Anne Redferne making 'pictures of clay' | | The said elizabeth southernes saith upon her examination, that about halfe a yeare before robert nutter died, as this examinate thinketh, this examinate went to the house of thomas redfearne, which was about mid-summer, as this examinate remembreth it. And there within three yards of the east end of the said house, shee saw the said anne whittle, alias chattox, and anne redferne wife of the said thomas redferne, and daughter of the said anne whittle, alias chattox: the one on the one side of the ditch, and the other on the other: and two pictures of clay or marle lying by them: and the third picture the said anne whittle, alias chattox, was making: and the said anne redferne her said daughter, wrought her clay or marle to make the third pictrure withall. And this examinate passing by them, the said spirit, called tibb, in the shape of a black cat, appeared unto her this examinate, and said, turne back againe, and do as they do: to whom this examinate said, what are they doing ? Whereunto the said spirit said; they are making three pictures: whereupon she asked whose pictures they were? Whereunto the said spirit said: they are the pictures of christopher nutter, robert nutter, and marie, wife of the said robert nutter: | | Demdike tells how 'Tibb' pushed her into a ditch | | But this examinate denying to goe back to helpe them to make the pictures aforesaid; the said spirit seeming to be angrie, therefore shove or pushed this examinate into the ditch, and so shed the milke which this examinate had in a can or kit: and so thereupon the spirit at that time vanished out of this examinates sight: but presently after that, the said spirit appeared to this examinate againe in the shape of a hare, and so went with her about a quarter of a mile, but said nothing to this examinate, nor shee to it. | |
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