The Lancashire Witches 3
Jenny Preston didn't get her planned meeting a year hence.
During the summer Thomas Lister died.
Perhaps then she had enough powerful magic herself?
At the end, he accused her of killing him. When he was dead,
they brought Jenny to his body, and made her touch him.
Blood flowed. That convicted her. It was believed then that a
murdered corpse woukd bleed in the presence of its killer
She never confessed to anything, but was sentenced
on the corpse's evidence, and evidence from others at the sabat that
she had been present. She was executed.
Most of the witches were accused of murder or bodily harm, and 16
deaths were put down to their powers.
Several admitted to having familiars.
Ten were sentenced to death, including Janet Preston and
Old Demdike, who were already dead.
I have no evidence that the King was involved in the trial,
As Harrison Ainsworth suggested.
One, Margaret Pearson was only sentenced to the pillory,
as she had only killed a horse.
The rest were acquitted, and maybe
Descendants of the witches survive today.
Y ou have to wonder about any confessions or statements
Made by the culprits or the witnesses. For one thing
How much pressure were they put under to confess?
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