The common people really did believe
that witches had the powers attributed
to them, based on a simple cause and effect logic.
Ronald Holmes
blame could light a blaze in sawdust
turn a whole town witch crazy
there was no need for evidence
just a hint of strangeness a story gossip
Demdike turned milk into sour butter
James Device stole peat for his mother’s fire
Chattox took eight teeth from skulls
in Newchurch Church Yard
to make potions and spells
Chattox got in an argument with John Moore
and caused his cows to go mad
she killed Anne Nutter for laughing at her
Demdike killed Richard Baldwin’s child
she killed the cows of John Nutter
Chattox killed Robert Nutter and Hugh Moore
Jane Bulcock practiced witchcraft on Jennet Deane
until the girl went mad
Bulcock’s son also practiced witchcraft
Katherine Hewett killed Anne Fould
Demdike’s family made clay images
dried them until they crumbled
between your fingers
Demdike killed James Robinson
John Duckworth John Hargreaves
Richard Asheton John Robinson
Anne Towneley Blaze Hargreaves
Chattox killed John Moore’s son and John Device
Robert Nutter and Christopher Nutter
not all at once mind you but over time
let’s say the past twenty years
in the end one accusation mattered
more than all the others Elizabeth Device swore
that Alice Nutter was with her
and helped her kill Henry Mitten
for refusing to give her a penny
