The Pendle Witch Trials | Dark History

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Today's video tells the story of British history's most disturbing witch trial. One day, in 1612, Alizon Device and her familiar set off a string of events which led to the largest witch trial in British History. Families were destroyed, and one little girl sentenced over ten innocent people to death... including her own family.
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[@wanderinghistorian]

"To condemn and prosecute witches and supporters of witchcraft." I like how you could just be a "patron of witches." Like, I don't know how to cast spells, but I support their work. LOL

[@Sinsteel]

Right. It could be because "witchcraft" was a very widespread practice in rural 16th century Britain and its proponents were just as loath to stop practicing as any Christian would get annoyed at being told they had to stop their spiritual practice. It's the same thing, in a different, unstructured form. So there were a lot of people using charms, herbal cures, "magic" and believing in it, and these could be classed as supporters I suppose.

[@erincorcoran5936]

You have to wonder what the "questioning" consisted of to make so many people confess themselves and their loved ones 🤔

[@alicewilloughby4318]

Erin Corcoran, it was pretty vicious, from what I've heard.

[@farokudahitam]

Easy the Spanish inquisition weren't terrible the put you to the question which was you hands tied behind your back and another attached to the wrists and you are raised off the ground for as long as it takes.

[@Sinsteel]

It had to have been torture, otherwise they wouldn't have denied it at trial. This was complicated in this case because the people involved had, in some cases, been self-confessed healers, magic users, whatever, for decades, and it was only recently that anyone had a problem with it. This was country Celtic magic, practices, frowned upon as Christianity tried to impose itself on people that had been left outside its influence, or at least left to freely blend passed down local beliefs with Catholic ones.

[@taylorslade961]

Torture. It was just plain old torture. Giles Corey, one of the accused during the Salem Witch Hysteria, died during "questioning" during which he was pressed to death.

[@pentultimatearsehole9190]

If you look into the history of of confessors and torture techniques you will find a rather obvious bell curve when it comes to confessions vs the suffering of stubborn innocents vs the stubborn ones. It's a gruesome history but one we should never forget the lessons there in.

[@freyjascats]

17 witches and 3 wizards? Ugh, my coven meetings NEVER have a turnout that good.

[@christinithcaldwell7980]

Perfectly logical. Instead of trading your immortal soul to lift yourself out of poverty, trade it to inflict minor inconveniences on your neighbors. Spoil their cow’s milk. Suffer them a slight stroke. Makes sense.

[@bumblebramblebranch]

In my country (Sweden), around 400 people were ever executed for witchcraft. Almost 300 of which were executed during an eight year long mass hysteria during the 1600s that was started because a boy had been beaten up by a girl so he lied and said that she had been walking on water. So it’s fewer people than in the UK but Sweden only had a population of 1-1.5 million at the time from what I could find. The hysteria eventually reached Stockholm which was good because then the authorities could put a stop to it more easily, but before that children as young as 1 year old had been made to testify against their own mothers. Or rather, they’ve said weird things as small children so often do and that was used as proof that their mothers were in league with the devil. :(

[@disgruntledmoderate5331]

The moment I realized Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett stole surnames for Good Omens from an actual witch trial. 😮👀

[@ruthbennett7563]

Or, that the Kingdom of “Lancre” might be some connection in the parallel Discworld? GNU Sir Terry ❤

[@robo5013]

Jane Wilkonson's testimony about pinching feelings on the tips of her fingers and thumbs sounds like the early symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome.

[@Sinsteel]

Causing carpal tunnel syndrome - one of the first spells they teach you in witch academy.

[@bboops23]

This video has simply told me, that you, my dear, are underpaid for the amazing work you do. KZbin needs to pay creators more and I understand why sponsorship and patreons are so important for amazing content creators like you.

[@May-or-May-not]

I can't help it. Whenever I hear about this I just keep thinking "so how does Anathema Device and Agnes Nutter fit into this?" 😅

[@ruthbennett7563]

GNU Sir Terry ❤

[@tommcdonald1873]

As a North Shore Massachusetts native, stories of the persecution of outcasts as witches like this (and the Salem Witchcraft Hysteria), resonate.

[@ah-bm7jk]

Also native Massachusetts resident, but im from yeehaw western Massachusetts

[@CrystalBbyUSA]

I'm from the south shore!!

[@patriciamurray1184]

Every time you say Lancashire i can't help but auto correct in my brain to Lancre , from Discworld books, as i am currently going through the the audiobook Maskerade .

[@pyrolink1990]

I know this is more akin to a history lesson, but I swear the overall feel + accent just makes it feel like I’m listening to you gossip about some witchy scandal and I love it lol

[@aureality721]

Congrats on 150k subscribers. History is so fascinating and creepy....

[@CinziaDuBois]

Thank you!

[@Lucius1958]

'Nutter'? Was that name 'Nutter'? I wonder if Gaiman & Pratchett researched these trials in writing 'Good Omens'...

[@Hair8Metal8Karen]

Also 'Device'

[@ruthbennett7563]

GNU Sir Terry ❤

[@emmajoppe4205]

I wonder how Alizon thought of her role in the trials in her later life, it's so mind-blowing to think of the lived experience of the past

[@Perceptionreflection]

There's some evidence she was tried as a witch again as an adult, according to a documentary that's actually here on KZbin. Look for a woman with very curly blonde hair in the thumbnail.

[@OcarinaSapphr-]

I believe irony hit like a train; I read somewhere that she was later accused of being a witch by another child...

[@miller_niki1982]

I think you mean Janet, not Alizon

[@Sinsteel]

She was likely coerced so I wouldn't be surprised if she always felt she had no choice. Who knows.

[@alishac5096]

Somehow, this is my first time seeing your channel and i had to subscribe, instantly, just from the name alone. Libraries are a safe space for shy and bullied children, full of stories and inner worlds inviting you to dream of a new life. It‘s the best place in the whole world, full of infinite possibilities and mythology. ❤ Thanks for the witchy history.

[@nobbynoris]

So true yet so seldom stated.

[@christopherflux6254]

If you ever get the chance to visit Lancaster Castle, where the witches were imprisoned, it’s worth it. It’s also where Josef Pilates invented the Pilates technique whilst as a prisoner of war.

[@jackburton1455]

I stayed on Pendle hill overnight on my own in a tent. Slept like a baby.

[@colonelweird]

For future reference, The Pendle Witch Fourth Centenary Handbook is available as a kindle book for 7.14 pounds.

[@gerald112b]

Thanks Cinzia. As a Lancashire person I enjoyed this video very much. In fact I might give the old Lancashire Witches novel by WH Ainsworth a re-read. Have you heard of Joseph Delaney. He wrote the fantasy horror novels the Wardstone Chronicles. The Spooks Apprentice. He took a lot of inspiration for his characters and stories from those witches (or unfortunate and innocent ladies as I should call them) they're quite fun if you don't mind YA and 1st person narrative. Just a little local knowledge for you. I live in the town Thornton Cleveleys near where the aforementioned landed gentry owned their property . It's just a few miles north of Blackpool. My Dad used to live on Nutter Road in the 40s and 50s. In fact I just passed it this afternoon. That's my waffle done now see you soon ☺

[@CinziaDuBois]

thank you for sharing!! that’s so interesting 😃

[@shariedanceinthedark1746]

Joseph Delaney is a fantastic author. I live in Lancashire and was taken to pendle several times when i was a kid. There are some great out if print books on the pendle witches.

[@Skitterwayed]

I've been obsessed with the Pendle With trials ever since reading the Spooks Apprentice books as a child! This was a really interesting video, thank you :)

[@CinziaDuBois]

You're so welcome!

[@RedSpade37]

I've studied Witch Trials a lot throughout my life, but this particular case I hadn't heard about! Love your storytelling vibes!

[@LizbetNene]

Lancaster resident here, great to hear your coverage of the story. Hoping to walk the Pendle Witches trail this year.

[@alicewilloughby4318]

34:43 - Riding a horse to death? That's a charge I would take seriously!

[@noahxcuse]

The timing of this video was oddly perfect. Only a couple of days before you posted this, I named a path of exile character after Alison Device because I thought she had a really interesting story 😊 Thanks for covering this! ❤️

[@CinziaDuBois]

you’re welcome ☺️

[@sglgiles]

Lovely video, as always. King James the 1st of Scotland ruled in 1406... I suspect you meant James VI of Scotland and Ist of England. ;)

[@CinziaDuBois]

awwww fudge lol thank you 😂😂🤣 I should have said he James I after the union of Scotland and England.

[@Loki-and-Thor]

Daemonologie was published by James VI of Scotland in 1597 and when he acceded to the English throne it was published in England in 1603.

[@buymeawhiskey5905]

Thank you for this, you are an amazing storyteller and you always put so much effort into finding the information with all the good details! Looking forward to your next one.

[@CinziaDuBois]

Thank you so much!

[@monagorgan7288]

i would love your take on King James 'hobby' & how that impacted the whole witch hunting. Awesome btw

[@joypratte]

Thank you so much for using proper language. I've listened to and read many stories that have been damaged, in my eyes, because of he misuse of language. I try not to be a snot, but a good story and storyteller should use language properly. You win! Again, thank you! =)

[@kernira]

Wonderful video as always. I wonder if you've ever stumbled across the writings of Montague Summers. I found his History of Witchcraft and Demonology on a Halloween display probably about 10 years ago and it is all kinds of out there. I think the publisher that reprinted it here in the US was trying to capitalize on the popularity of ghost hunting shows at the time, but it does go through a lot of records of witch trials and stories from England from about the 15th to 19th centuries.

[@BermudaOnyx]

Iknow you had camera issues, but seeing you talk makes the video more intresting. Hope you will be back on screen someday!

[@CinziaDuBois]

I've been back on camera lots recently. I've only done two faceless videos (I think).

[@HerPaperParadise]

I could hear you tell these stories all day. Thank you for sharing your time.

[@CinziaDuBois]

Thanks for listening

[@jungtothehuimang]

The torture these people must have face for them to just keep up this charade is insane to me, what a crazy story.

[@millymollymrst3537]

More videos on witches would be great as I find it very interesting. Thank you for a great video.😊

[@CinziaDuBois]

Sure thing!

[@CrazyKungfuGirl]

Well there might not have been any witches in that town but plenty of snitches 😒

[@Aster_Risk]

I'm listening to this for the second time today. I watched a documentary about this a few years back, but I didn't really connect with it. Thanks for talking about this.

[@winterburden]

Thanks for sharing this disturbing witch trial Cinzia!

[@zaje3858]

This was a very interesting video, I'm from Spain and I'd love to see your opinion on the Zugarramurdi's Witches case. It was the biggest case of witchcraft in the country and it even had a twist. After the trials and prosecution were finished, a spanish inquisitor called "Alonso de Salazar" was not content with the outcome of the trial, so he did an investigation of the case, and he presented it to the Inquisiton Council with definitive prove that the witchcrafting was not real and those witches that were judged were, in fact, innocent people. After that, Spanish Inquisition literally stopped hunting witches in Spain, one of the first countries in Europe to do that actually. Very interesting considering the perception that the world have of the Spanish Inquisition and their hunt to witches. You can read more about it in "The Witches' Advocate" from Gustav Henningsen.

[@MikkiProductions204]

I haven’t even started the video yet and I’m so excited! I love anything to do with witches! 🧙‍♀️ Also, congrats on 150k subscribers! 🥳🥰

[@CinziaDuBois]

Yay! Thank you!

[@AlmightyRawks]

I heard this tale many years ago. I believe these witch trials were a huge inspiration later on in Salem. I've always wondered what would have happened if the old merchant had not had his heart attack right at that moment.... Would it have been blown out of proportion like it was?

[@jviland]

I love your content so much! Please please please more on EVERYTHING!

[@leoorpi]

So happy the spooky stories are going on into the new year! Love your channel!

[@CinziaDuBois]

Glad you like them!

[@TheRush1966]

ive heard this story so many times but youve taught me stuff ive never heard b4. thankyou Lady.. im subscribed :)

[@mmartinisgreat]

I really enjoy your voice. You should do narration or audiobooks

[@CinziaDuBois]

Wow, thank you! Sadly, I keep getting rejected for audiobook gigs. Maybe one day lol

[@mmartinisgreat]

@@CinziaDuBois what how??

[@Zugzug386]

@@mmartinisgreat Agreed those offering the gigs are missing out. Silly people

[@Zugzug386]

Thank you Cinzia really enjoying the Dark History series. Appreciate these dives into folklore and history.

[@CinziaDuBois]

Glad you like them!

[@alexbramley195]

I saw this as a compliment. I was trying to find something to fall asleep to and your voice was very soothing

[@CinziaDuBois]

Oh thank you!

[@ReadingNymph]

I think that has been my favourite video you have done so far 👌🏻

[@katarinarichterova2376]

150k subscribers?! Congrats, Cinzia💐

[@CinziaDuBois]

Thank you so much 😀

[@whimsicalmusedesign]

Hi Cinzia! I hope you are also having a marvelous day! Thank you for a new video it is a pleasure listening and learning from you! ❤

[@CinziaDuBois]

You're so welcome!

[@whimsicalmusedesign]

@@CinziaDuBois I wish there was a heart back button ❤️✨

[@kayzie96]

Love this!! New watcher but I love your library. I have that same Fragonard print hanging in my studio!

[@thefrenchmode]

Congratulations on reaching 150k ! This is so well deserved

[@CinziaDuBois]

Thank you so much!!

[@realsouthernmamayall8711]

New favorite channel ❤

[@vickiewallace415]

Love when the ai suggests a GREAT new (to me) channel! You def have a new subscriber!

[@AngryPict]

You mention King James the 6th/1st, I recently came across a very odd tale about him and King Christian 4th of Denmark. A riotous party with much food and drink, with Christian at one point ending up covered in cake.

[@damiebconnor2370]

There were forces of the establishment out to persecute Lancashire Catholics ( the country had become a Jacobite stronghold ). Scapegoating these women and men was the tactic used at times cynically. Lancaster Assizes was a stronghold of persecution and echos reverberated with the jailing of 6 innocent men for the Birmingham pub bombing atrocities of 1974.

[@studio_mair]

Great breakdown. Being from America, I am less familiar with this particular story. I am very much interested in these tales as well, so I look forward to more from around the world, as you say!

[@malcolmstead272]

The witches of the Derwent valley appeared to avoid prosecution at the time, perhaps the authorities feared them; Jane Frizzle of Crooked Oak and the last witch to die at 87 Elizabeth Lee in 1792 of Edmundbyers.

[@slashdotjeo]

Please make this a thing! AMAZING.

[@jacobgraustein6509]

Jane bulcock was my 14th grandmother, it’s a great experience to learn about Pendle hill. I’m so intrigued by all of it.

[@thebigd9989]

Wonderful narration ♡

[@CinziaDuBois]

Thank you kindly!

[@sari0009]

Hmmmm, Jennet Device was about 9 yrs. old, the tone & contents of her testimony seem rather "unusual" for her age (meaning coerced and/or coached), and during the course of the Pendle witch trials, little Jennet Jennet was held in a variety of locations including the home of the local magistrate, Roger Nowell. Roger Nowell held this little girl in his home, squelched dissent, & practiced abusive power and control, so one might at least wonder at all the possible reasons his reputation was seen as ruined after the trial. However, much may have been lost to time and we will never know for sure. I mean think about it, those in power mostly targeted little girls & women, held them in various places, even in their homes, and they used even torture on the victims for the sake of their lust for power. One might wonder if other lusts were involved. And people who are behaviorally described like that historically often cross many lines. And these people running the show created a ready access to victims. It reads real bad, it really does. Also, accusations or accounts of torture, mistreatment, and grape were not unknown during various witch trials across a time.

[@stevencook7156]

Amazing telling. Thank you so much. 👍

[@CinziaDuBois]

So nice of you to say, thank you 🙂

[@marlisaactor]

Please do more on the witch craze and witch hunts !! How is it that we don’t know the full extent of the horrific violence used against women for centuries!!!! How ?? How ???

[@tibbers]

I love your tales, makes my weekend! Thank you!

[@CinziaDuBois]

Glad you enjoy it!

[@Karen-cc4wr]

Hi, love this! Thank you making this story more well known. I have been brought up around the area all my life. I have never heard the name Chattox pronounced the way you do. I wonder if the way we pronounce it here is a northern thing? Keep up this amazing work I love your channel!!!!

[@gailsgrandplan3561]

My mum’s side of the family is from Lancashire so many school holidays were spent there. I remember visiting the castle in Lancaster many times and my favourite part of the tour was when they locked us in the dungeon. I wonder if they still do that today or if health and safety put a stop to it. Been fascinated by the witch trials ever since.

[@azraelsblade]

The things people will say under torture…

[@Hair8Metal8Karen]

That's what I was thinking.

[@evanames5940]

Thanks another good vid

[@CinziaDuBois]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@tonyfasce5332]

Dude, I'm freaking out man!

[@mariearteaga3056]

This person needs a podcast! That voice is gorgeous!

[@The-Duke-Who-Cherishes-Dreams]

It seems clear that Alizon, at least, was convinced of her own power, and that Jennet was coached by Nowell, but what about the others? Were the confessions of Chattox and Demdike extracted under torture? It seems easy to assume that they were tortured, but given Alizon's beliefs, they might have believed in their powers as well.

[@sherylleelee]

Very good video.

[@CinziaDuBois]

Thank you very much!

[@robertteague4586]

brilliant.

[@amberspecter]

Your voice reminds me of Eva Green's, it has a great dramatic quality

[@nadiyaalexiacosic5611]

I love you’re voice !

[@amywebb4586]

Me sitting down to work through some of my grandmother's paperwork to sign her up for medicaid. "Oh I can listen to this while I work." Yeah, not happening. There are soap operas with less twist, turns, and drama than this. I'm going to have to start over & take notes on this.

[@chewiecheshire7973]

I wonder if the dog may be inspired by a "black shuck". A spirit dog that causes/foretells death for whoever sees it. I'm not sure if english black dogs are explicitly demonic or if their fairies or just a spirit, but they are almost always malevolent.

[@cartoonhistory353]

Music sounds like the haunting hr love the story

[@thepeach2428]

I don’t know if this is one hundred percent but I’ve heard that the little girl Jeannette who pledged against her mother was living in the household of one of the people in charge of the trials during the whole ordeal so that may have led in part to her speaking against her family

[@angstymedusa]

This is wonderful, an interesting 36 minute video to listen to as a bedtime story. 🦇

[@CinziaDuBois]

Hope you enjoyed it!

[@angstymedusa]

@@CinziaDuBois I did! I can't wait to hear more witchy stuff.

[@joshuabell5580]

The name Chattox is pronounced as written. I went to school with a girl called Chattox. It's possibly one of the most Lancashire names I've ever heard. in fact I doubt they are allowed out of the county! How did you make it so French? Until I saw it written I thought there was an entire family I'd never heard of or totally forgotten about. Oh well, utterly confused me but made me smile so gets my vote.

[@CinziaDuBois]

because I also know someone with the surname Chattox and they pronounce it that way so I just assumed that was how it was pronounced 🤷🏻‍♀️

[@lainiwakura1776]

@@CinziaDuBois Just blame the Normans!

[@joshuabell5580]

@@CinziaDuBois Fair enough it is an unusual name after all. However now I am going to have to research the full History of the name or at least as much as the internet will allow. As far as I know it was originally a place mane Chaddock, so you would have say John of Chaddock and over the years it dropped the of and morphed into Chattox. Who knows why, hereditary speech impediment or perhaps they just liked the idea of sounding like talkative cattle.

[@shevaunhandley1543]

I didn't recognise any of the name until I looked at my screen 🤣 "Chat-ox" and "De-vice" as commonly said. My ex-husband is from that particular area of Lancashire and always said those names that way.

[@TheWobblyQueen]

@@shevaunhandley1543 yup 😂 Pendle Lancastrian here , Chatt Ox as in talking cow and De Vice as in object.

[@JenKMusic01]

Not sure how I found this BUT I'm finding this style of video very interesting xD

[@mjkluck]

Good stuff, Kiddo.

[@CinziaDuBois]

Thanks for listening

[@DJDustydoesdnb]

i live near pendle [i live in lanchisier] just about thrity minutes away i stayed there for 2 nights creepy af at night

[@kylahorn3236]

This literally sounds like an audio book

[@stephenwhittam4895]

Pendle Hill is good place to vist

[@daveyg34]

Just a note. He was King James VI of Scotland (but King James I elsewhere).

[@dismurrart6648]

If you're doing witches, I'd love a video about the African metalworkers and jews who were thought by their societies of being witches

[@foloan1209]

What is the song you played in the background of the video?

[@robertteague4586]

*that would be forward slash / 🎩 btw..i loved the vampire lecture & lilith-

[@sophiebresnahan7509]

I went to Lancaster Uni and it was strange thinking this random town was the place of witch hunts

[@alisgray]

So much juicier than The Bachelor.

[@John.Fielding]

Given the name of this channel I presume that you must strongly prefer having physical books rather than buying digital, I get it there's just something different about cozying up on the sofa with a slab of e-ink in front of you (or, heaven forbid, an LCD tablet) rather than a real book. That said, sometimes a digial edition is the only reasonble way of getting a copy of something that hasn't had a physical printing in years and may not ever get a reprint. FYI that book that you rightly balked at paying £150 for a used copy of is available digitally from both of the major ebook retailers I looked at, Amazon and Kobo, at MUCH more reasonable prices (as in the more expensive of the two was still ~20 times cheaper than that used physical copy).

[@jeffbrownstain]

Any book an amazon is free fitty if you know how to look

[@tomaaron6187]

Volume was too low at times. Couldn’t always hear voice over weird background bells.

[@starcapture3040]

when I open your page it tell me This channel doesn't have any content

[@russgardnon9284]

When I see dark history I can only think of Bailey

[@nobbynoris]

This literally is an episode of Neighbours!

[@rachelspencer9456]

🧡

[@MariaCJ]

Supposedly sold their souls for all this power, yet were still in poverty??? Super scary witches who can't save themselves from a hanging???