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Conclusion
So ended the story of the Pendle Witches. Although
it is impossible to know the real truth of these events, it seems
quite certain that they were merely victims of circumstance in an
era when superstition was rife. Rumours and stories were presented
in court as evidence, much of it by a girl of nine years of age. Demdike
and Chattox were women of 80, withered by a life of poverty and hardship,
and quite possibly mentally unbalanced. It may be that they used their
reputations as witches to supplement their main income from begging;
for local people to beleive them to be witches and blame them for
all manner of misfortune is understandable. The trial evidence was
riddled with inaccuracies, conflictions and based partly on "confessions"
gained in dubious circumstances. Alison Devices unfortunate incident
with the pedlar escalated through wild accusations and recriminations,
and sadly nine unfortunate Pendle souls ended their days on the gallows.
As a footnote, witch-hunting continued
for many years and Jenet Device was herself returned to Lancaster
Castle 21 years later to face charges of witchcraft.
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