Elizabeth Southern, also known as Demdike, had been regarded as a witch for over fifty years.  Some of the deaths that they would be accused of at the trial, which would be investigated by Roger Nowell, were of those who had died many years previous to what was happening. It would be an event in the March 1612, that brought things to Roger Nowell’s attention and triggered a chain of events that would lead to the execution of those accused.

On the 21st March in 1612, Alizon Device, who was the granddaughter of Elizabeth Southerns, was walking through Trawden Forest, where she met a pedlar John Law from Halifax. Elizabeth had asked him for some pins. Pins in this time were very expensive and handmade and usually used for magical things, as wells as used for the treatment of healing, and the treating of warts.

Whether she intended to buy them or beg for them is unclear, as she claimed that John Law refused to undo his pack. Only but a few minutes later, John law collapsed, which may have been a stroke, or he may stumble, but never the less he managed to reach a nearby Inn, afterwards.J ohn Law made no accusations against Alizon, but she appears to have been convinced of her own powers. When John Laws son Abraham took her to visit his father a few days after the incident, she reportedly confessed and asked for his forgiveness.

In the 30th March 1612, Alizon, and her mother Elizabeth and brother James were all summoned to stand before Roger Nowell. Alizon had confessed she had sold her soul to the devil.  Apparently Alizon had told John Law to lame after he had called her a thief. Then later her own brother James said, that his sister had confessed to bewitching a local child in their home village. Elizabeth, when questioned, also turned and said that her mother, who was known as Demdike, had a mark on her body that Roger Nowell would have recognised as being a scar left from the devil. When questioned about Anne Whittle (Chattox), the matriarch of the other family reputedly involved in witchcraft in and around Pendle, Alizon perhaps saw an opportunity for revenge. Since 1601, there had been allot of bad blood between the two families, maybe Alizon has seen this an opportunity for revenge. Alizon accused Anne Whittle of killing men by witchcraft, and her father John Device who had died in 1601. Alizon claimed her father had been that afraid of Anne, that he had agreed to give her money and oats each year as in return that she would not hurt his family. However, on the year of his death, on his deathbed, she had claimed that he was to die because he had not paid her.

On the 2nd of April 1612, Demdike, Anne Whittle, and her daughter Anne Redferne, were all summoned before Roger Nowell. Anne whittle and Elizabeth Southerns, were in their eighties and blind.  Both woman provided damaging confessions. Although Anne Redferne made no confession, Demdike said that she had seen her making clay figures.

Another witness was a Margaret Crooke, she had claimed that her brother had fallen sick and died after having another disagreement with Anne Redfern, her brother previously had blamed Anne Redfern for his ill health.

Based on the evidence and confessions Roger Nowell had obtained, he committed Elizabeth, Anne whittle., Anne Redferne and Alizon Device to Lancaster Gaol, to be tried for maleficium – causing harm by witchcraft – at the next assizes

That may have had of been the end of the matter, had it not been a meeting held and organised by   Elizabeth Device, on Good Friday 10th of April 1612 at Malkin Tower, which was near the village of New church Pendle. To feed the party at this meeting, James Device stole a neighbour's sheep. When word had got out, about this meeting, people were arrested who had attended, and there were allegations to commit a murder through acts of witchcraft.  In some cases, it may have been a situation of being in the wrong place at the worst possible time.

When word of this incident had reached Roger Nowell. He again decided to investigate more. On 27th April 1612, an inquiry was held before Roger Nowell and another magistrate, a Nicholas Bannister, to determine the true purpose of the meeting at Malkin Tower. Who had attended and what had happened there. As a result of the inquiry, eight more people were drawn in and accused of witchcraft and committed for trial. The accused were all taken and held in Lancaster Castle.

• Elizabeth Device

• James Device,

• Alice Nutter

• Katherine Hewitt,

• John Bulcock

• Jane Bulcock

• Alice Grey

• Jennet Preston.

All but one, of the accused, were sent to Lancaster Gaol. A Jennet Preston,  who  lived on the border of Yorkshire.