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Updated: May 18, 2025
Mistress Nutter looked around for the raven, but the bird was nowhere to be seen, nor did any other living thing appear to be present beside themselves. Taking the lady's hand, Mother Chattox drew her into the circle, and began to mutter a spell; after which, still maintaining her hold of her companion, she bade her look into the caldron, and declare what she saw.
"Oh! no, now now! Let me be assured she lives!" cried Mistress Nutter. Mother Chattox reluctantly assented, and, touching Alizon with her skinny finger, first upon the heart and then upon the brow, the poor girl began to show symptoms of life. "My child my child!" cried Mistress Nutter, straining her to her breast; "I am come to save thee!"
"I see nothing," replied the lady, after she had gazed upon the bubbling waters for a few moments. "Ah! yes I discern certain figures, but they are confused by the steam, and broken by the agitation of the water." "Caldron cease boiling! and smoke disperse!" cried Mother Chattox, stamping her foot. "Now, can you see more plainly?"
Oh! that I could undeceive her could warn her of the snare!" "What is the nature of the delusion?" asked Mother Chattox, with some curiosity. "I am so blind I cannot see the figures on the water." "It is an evil spirit in my likeness," replied Mistress Nutter. "In your likeness!" exclaimed the hag. "A cunning device and worthy of old Demdike ho! ho!"
All the complainants taxed either Mother Demdike or Mother Chattox with afflicting them, and said they had incurred the anger of the two malevolent old witches by refusing to supply them with poultry, eggs, milk, butter, or other articles, which they had demanded. Master Potts made ample notes of the strange relations, and took down the name of every cottager.
It is useless to waste sympathy upon a mother who was getting at the hands of her children the same treatment she had given her own mother Demdike. The Chattox family held together better. Mistress Redfearne had been carefully shielded in the testimony of her mother Chattox, but she fell a victim to the accusations of the opposing family. The course of her trial was remarkable.
Mistress Nutter and Mother Chattox were still at the hut, impatiently awaiting the return of Fancy. But nearly an hour elapsed before he appeared. "What has detained thee so long?" demanded the hag, sharply, as he stood before them. "You shall hear, mistress," replied Fancy: "I have had a busy time of it, I assure you, and thought I should never accomplish my errand.
"I will, madam," replied the old hag, "and you must control your impatience, for the spell requires time for its confection." Mistress Nutter made no reply, but, walking into the inner room, closed the door, and threw herself upon the pallet. Here, despite her anxiety, sleep stole upon her, and though her dreams were troubled, she did not awake till Mother Chattox stood beside her.
This evidence was received; and upon such testimony, and testimony like this, ten persons were led to the gallows, on the twentieth of August, Ann Chattox of eighty years of age among the rest, the day after the trials, which lasted two days, were finished. The judges who presided on these trials were sir James Altham and sir Edward Bromley, barons of the exchequer.
"Tut!" exclaimed the hag, "you have lost your senses on a sudden. I do not want your daughter. But come away, or Mother Demdike will surprise us." "Do not trifle with her longer," whispered Fancy to the hag; "drag the girl away, or you will lose her. A few moments, and it will be too late." Mother Chattox made an attempt to obey him, but Mistress Nutter resisted her.
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