Belief in and accusations of witchcraft were commonplace in England, and indeed Europe, during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. Many of the denunciations and evidence given nowadays appear somewhat nonsensical and in many cases can be explained away by advancement in modern medicine or science. However, in a society so grounded in religious belief, where the greatest fear was the Devil himself, it is a little easier to understand why allegations could have arisen out of situations that just could not be explained in any other way at the time.
Numerous individuals in Northumberland were accused of being witches, the evidence which seems flimsy by today’s standards, included night time visions or the use of threatening words. The majority, but not all, of those who fell under suspicion were female. In “County Folklore Vol IV Northumberland” by M.C. Balfour the tale of Peter Banks is told. Although sadly we do not know exactly where Banks or his accusers were from, his story was heard by Robert Roddam, Mayor of Newcastle in 1673/4.
Peter Banks was described as “a most strange seducer and inticer of the king’s subjects and people, and deludes them in a wonderfull manner, perswadeing and makeing them beleive that he cann tell leases [charms] to people” (p.34); he was said to have confessed to the use of enchantments, magic arts and conjuring evil spirits.
Jane Crossby bought a charm for ten shillings and two new shirts compelling her husband to be pleasant to her for a year. During this time the husband was said to be ‘loveing and kind’, however when she did not renew the charm at the end of the year her husband’s behaviour became ‘ill and untoward againe’.
Ellinor Pattison was terrified by night visions and apparitions after a disagreement with Banks. He knew that she was bewitched and offered to cure her. She permitted him to cut out a small piece of her hair which was wrapped in paper and burned. After this she ‘grew better’.
Sadly Balfour does not tell us the outcome for Peter Banks, this may be lost to history, but it offers a fantastic insight into the accusations made against this particular male witch.
