Dandy Clitheroe

The town of Clitheroe has seen fit to erect a large metallic statue of a dog outside E.H.Booth & Co. I generally support the installation of public art, but this particular example has a dark origin. The dog is Dandy, the alleged 'familiar spirit' of James Device, who was hanged for witchcraft at Lancaster in 1612. A 'familiar' was an evil spirit said to attend a witch to either obey his or her command or to exercise authority itself over the human:

And within some four days after that, there appeared in his sight, hard by the Newchurch in Pendle, a thing like unto a brown dog, who asked him to give him his soul, and he should be revenged of any whom he would: whereunto he answered, that his soul was not his to give, but was his saviour Jesus Christ's, but as much as was in him to give, he was contented he should have it.

And within two or three days after, he went to the Carr Hall, and upon some speeches betwixt Mistress Towneley and he; she charging him and his said mother [Elizabeth Device], to have stolen some turves of hers, bade him pack the doors: and withal as he went forth of the door, the said Mistress Towneley gave him a knock between the shoulders:

And about a day or two after that, there appeared unto him in his way, a thing like unto a black dog, who put him in mind of the said Mistress Towneley's falling out with him; who bad him make a picture of clay, like unto the said Mistress Towneley: and that he with the help of his spirit (who then ever after bid him to call it Dandy) would kill or destroy the said Mistress Towneley: and so the said dog vanished out of his sight.

And the next morning after, he took clay, and made a picture of the said Mistress Towneley, and dried it the same night by the fire: and within a day after, he began to crumble the said picture, every day some, for the space of a week: and within two days after all was crumbled away; the said Mistress Towneley died.

-The Confession of James Device, 27th April, 1612 (as recorded by Thomas Potts in The Wonderfull Discoverie of Witches in the Countie of Lancaster, 1613).

The modern depiction of this rather sinister creature belies the heartache and pain that such a belief (or reality?) instilled those four centuries ago. Today, familiars are not in the form of dogs, but of primates, whom we revere and idolise as ancestors. We may think ourselves more intelligent, but we are really little better than poor James Device who hanged for this dog’s sake.