Joan Vaughan allegedly "committed something either in spech, or gesture, so [u]nfitting, and [u]nseming the nature of woman-hood, that it displeased the most that were there present," deeply offending Mistress Belcher. Belcher struck Vaugan for the transgression, and forced her out of her company. Vaughan, enraged, replied "shee would remember this iniury, and re[v]enge it." Belcher was unimpressed, and ended the encounter by saying that Vaughan "neither seared her nor her mother: but bad her doe her worst." Vaughan is said to have reported this altercation to her mother, Agnes Brown, and they decided to take revenge on Belcher, after a wait of three or four days to avoid suspicion.(B2-B3)

MIstress Belcher is allegedly suddenly struck with an intolerable pain in her body, which has the side effect of horribly disfiguring her face. While in pain, Belcher is heard crying out, "Heere comes Ioane Uaughan, away with Ioane Uaughan."(B3)

Master Avery, hearing of Mistress Belcher's affliction, comes to see his sister and is moved by her woeful condition. While at her bedside, he allegedly hears her "cry out against Ioane Vaughan alias Varnham, and her mother," and becomes convinced that Belcher has been afflicted by witchcraft when a neighbour reports the altercation between Vaughan and Belcher. (B3-B4)

Master Avery allegedly decides that the only way to help his sister, Mistress Belcher, is to draw blood from Agnes Brown and Joan Vaughan. He attempts to approach their home to lure them out, but is forcibly prevented from getting close by an invisible barrier. Though he tries two or three more times, he is always halted at the same spot.(B3-B4)

Master Avery, defeated by his inability to help Mistress Belcher, returns to his own home, only to realize that he, too, has earned the enmity of Agnes Brown and Joan Vaughan. Confident that he cannot reach them, they allegedly cause him to suffer the same torments and fits as his sister. (B4)

Agnes Brown and Joan Vaughan are apprehended by Sir William Saunders and brought to Northampton Gaol.(B4)

It is alleged that, a fortnight before Agnes Brown's apprehension, she was seen riding a sow with Katherine Gardiner and Joan Lucas at night to visit an old witch named Mother Rhoades. However, Mother Rhoades is said to have died while the three were en route, and cried out with her last breath that "shee would mete with them in another place within a month after."(B5)