She was a very old woman who had been a witch for fifty years. She dwelt in the Forest of Pendle, a vast place, fit for her profession. What she committed in her time, no man knows. She brought up her own children, instructed her grand-children, and took great care and pains to bring them up to be witches. She was a general agent for the Devil in all parts: no man escaped her, or her furies. She was a very old, withered, spent and decrepit creature. She, in her witchcraft, was always ready to do mischief to men's goods. She had lips ever chattering and walking: but no man knew what. She lived in the Forest of Pendle, amongst this wicked company of dangerous witches. She did bewitch a child to death through illness. She was the author of calamities, a lungless hag who had scarcely sufficient breath to cool her own pottage.

She met in the Forest of Pendle, a spirit or devil in the shape of a boy. She was contented to give away her soul. She wanted nothing yet. She brought upon the unfortunate the consequence of a 'bad wish'. She was almost stark mad for the space of eight weeks. She said the speediest way to take a man's life away by witchcraft, is to make a picture of clay, in the likeness of the person whom she means to kill. She voluntarily confessed, that a thing like a Christian man did some times come to her, and request her to give him her soul. She was a blear-eyed dame who flew by night over the field, on mischief bent. She was seduced to condescend and agree to become subject unto that devilish, abominable profession of witchcraft. She yielded to be at his command and appointment. She should have gold, silver, and worldly wealth, at her will.

What are the components of a trial? The judge. The accuser. The accused. Evidence is considered. Witnesses are called. A trial provides the defendant with a chance to prove their innocence. By this definition, the witches received no trial: they received a condemnation. They were allowed no defence. Incarcerated in Lancaster Castle, their fate lay in the hands of judges and prosecutors alone. The evidence: hearsay and gossip, from second and third parties; blame assigned for coincidences; murders of individuals they had not touched. Extrapolations and lies dooming them to horrific ends. Some were acquitted. The majority were testified against by loved ones and unfriendly acquaintances and found guilty. The Pendle Witches were executed. A rope was looped about their necks and they were hung on the gallows. Whether or not they practiced witchcraft seems irrelevant. They were dragged from their homes, imprisoned and abused. Facing a death they were powerless to prevent. A sentence decided by a merciless collective, who considered their own fears to be fact.

Society's fear ended their lives. Suspicion stemmed from ignorance and misunderstanding instilled by religion and created the illusion of a threat. These alleged 'servants of the devil' may have been mentally ill, suffered from dementia or the effects of malnutrition. Four hundred years has fostered this understanding. Yet we still fear what we do not comprehend, whatever form it assumes. Something that goes against our values, what we accept. We no longer hunt witches, but witch hunts remain: the targeting of that which we view as a threat. We would rather discriminate, ignore or attack than seek to understand. A modern 'witch hunt' is still performed by those requiring justice, against perpetrators of crimes done to others. But they can be against the innocent. The different. Our evidence to justify our fear remains based on assumptions: we are not the same, therefore they threaten our existence, our preferred way of being. Cancel culture hunts down the faceless on social media: the user collective functions as mob, judge and executioner.

An individual not conforming to our cultural sense of normality is regarded with hostility. Existing in groups of the like-minded makes it hard to change. Where is the line between us and them? The line that designates them outsiders? Do we know the ostracised? Do we know the context of their lives, their thoughts, their true beliefs? Do we take the time to find out? Or do we believe the assumptions? Is evidence formed from prejudice and hearsay sufficient to damn them? Are we willing to cease hunting to learn? Or do we believe them to be witches?

Witch Hunt