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In our next number we intend giving
something of the history of Kilkenny; but at present we will just
present a short account of the witch-burning business that took
place there about the year 1325. The people of Kilkenny need not
be ashamed of it; for scarcely more than a century has gone by since
the Scotch had a witch burning business of their own; and even in
many parts of England the people, still dread the effects of the
evil eye, and the mutterings of an old hag. What we are going to
relate occurred in the reign of Edward the Second, about five hundred
years ago.
The Lady Alice Kelter was summoned (in or about 1325) before the
Bishop to answer to the charge of practising magic, sorcery, and
witchcraft. She and her accomplices Petronilla and Basilia, were
accused of holding nightly conferences with an imp or evil spirit
called Robin Artisson, to whom, in order to make the infernal thing
obedient to all their commands, they sacrificed nine red cocks in
the middle of the high-way, and offered up the eyes of nine peacocks.
The lady Alice, by means of this imp and his associates, caused,
every night, the streets of Kilkenny to be swept between the hour
of complin prayer and day break. And for what did she do this? To
sweeten the town, and make it agreeable? No such thing. Witches
are not so benevolently inclined. But it was for the good of her
greedy son that she did it, one William Utlaw, a great land pirate,
an avarus Agricola, a fellow who monopolized all the town parks,
and grasped at great possessions. So the cunning mother had all
the filth of the city raked to her son's door, to help him to manure
his meadows, and such of the inhabitants as ventured to go out at
night, heard unearthly brooms plying over the causeway, and fearful
looking scavengers were at their dirty work scouring away to a slow
chorus chanted as follows:
"To the house of William my son
"Hie all the wealth of Kilkenny town!"
But this was not all. The Lady Alice beat even Captain Freney the
robber and all his Kellymount gang in riding amid the darkness of
night. No sooner were the nine peacock's eyes thrown into the fire,
than up rose Robin the imp, and presented his potent mistress with
a pot of ointment with which she oiled her broomstick; and then
mounting as gay as Meg Merrilees the Scotch hag, and having along
with her, Petronilla and Basilia, her dear friends, she performed
a night's journey in a minute, and used to hold a Sabbat with other
enchanters on the Devil's Bit in the county of Tipperary! |
