The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-03-15

as a contribution to the history o
psychology Of witchcraft in general
but he does think he has corrected al
omission in Irish history by demon
stratlng the unrecognized extent OF III
participation In the excitements caused
by persecution Of the agents Of demons
male and female. One OF his chapters
AN Irish American Witch" IL a re-
| print with some slight comment. o.
Cotton Mathers account Of the trial o.
Mrs. Glover. 1858.
Distinction Is made between sorcery
and witchcraft. Sorcery was the more
artstocratlc department OF the black
art. The sorcerer had at times contro
over the devil. the witch was rather
"the slave Of Satan. who. almost inva-
rlably proved to be q most faithless
and unreliabl. employer" The classic
example Of the former branch Of the
black art In ireland dates back to 1924:
the case Of Dame Alice kyteler. the
sorceress Of kilkenny. The history Is
not monopolized by professional anti
| guardians:
Richard de Ledrede. Bishop Of Os-
sorry, a Franciscan friar and an Eng
iishman born. learning OF the existence
Of q band Of hereticai sorcerers headed
by Dame Alice. charged with biasphemy
unholy lamentations and the possession
Of familiar spirits. cited the Dame to
appear before him for examination. The
lady. who had got rid Of three hus-
ba nds through the exercise OF her in
famous art and was gradually accom-
pl,shing with philtres and charms the
d.sintregation Of her fourth. Sir John lie
| to IN Tliahnn rifaH her
son. William Outawe. for heresy. Sir
Arnold lie Poer. Seneschal Of Kilkenny.
had the Bishop kidnapped and Jailed
for seventeen days. until the date OF
the citation had passed; then ordered.
through his uncle. the bishop Of Leigh
lin. his release. The Bishop. in pontii-
calls and attended by his clergy. marched
out solemnly through a crowd OF greatly
excited people. and at the cathedral
gave solemn thanks to God for his de-
lverance.
Again he cited the son OF Alice
promptly he was himself cited to an
ever In Dublin for having placed an
interdlct on his diocese. none other than
the "sorceress" being this time the ac-
cuser. Against q hostile court the
doughty Bishop finally prevailed: Sir
AEnOIu Vbu tO dpoloelLC. ih' 'iS'op
renewed his efforts for the apprehen-
sion OF Dame Alice. but she got away
into England and spent the rest Of her
life there without mo'estation. Her
stock In trade. sack full OF powders.
o.ntments. human nails and hair herbs
worms land other denominations" was
publicly burned. Some Of her con'ed.
crates were caught and imprisoned
dc 20,
'ess" and burned alive. william Out
lave wns compelled tn do heavy PEN
ance. Sir Arnold lie Poer was excom-
nunlcated. and died In prison. Bv the
irony Of fate at It's most iron'c De l.e-
Irede himself was finally accused o'
Neresv and hid hard time ot It for
twenty years. though the final quadren-
MUM ~ h's life was peaceful.
The Kyteler case was the most promi-
,ent Of us kind in wave ~ he-esv
.bat arrarAntlv PASSED over Ireland
in the first half Of the fourteenth CEN
Jury: the only others Of which record has
come down are those Of two men tried
COR haresv at Burrattv. County clare
IN 1853. and burned at the stake. 1t was
a Church and State conflict. and the
heresy is much more outstanding in the
'hlt imam IIt NllNAlNl AT ''N'i
hack Of the heresv and the witchcraft
= a tanele OF ordinary human passione
sufficient to account for good deal Of
axcitement: 1.-THE discomfort and anger
II the d!sirherited children at the loss
II their wealth OF which Dame Alice
had bereft them by her exercise ~
undue influence over her husbands
'amlv quarrels. private hatreds and
t.,.1. ta1 10
bring about one OF the straneest series
Il events in the checkered history OF
ireland"
To the opening OF the seventeenth
century the records OF Irish witchcrafi
are meagre: OF an Irish "d'Vineress."
'hus yclept bv a contemporary chroncler.
who prophesied the death ~ James I
" Scotland: OF some unnamed parsonage
u high place accused ,liI1) Of prac-
Using sorcery with the intent to do
,rievous harm 10 his enemy: Of "a let
er to Charles F'tz Arthur for sending a
witch to the Lord Deputy to be cx-
smlned." l54;-this in an index To q
olume OF the red council book" which
has been lost; OF witch trial at Kill
kenny In 1878 no details preserved In
1856 the Irish Parliament passed n
any witchcraft. enchantment. charm"
n sorcery whereby any person snail
Nappen To b" killed or destroied." under
oain OF death as a fe,on or OF !mpr!son-
nent. and the pillory In case Of VIC
I'm being wasted. consumed or famed
y his bodie or members" or chattels.
The act is presumably in force to-day
N 1906 one John Aston. clerk OF MELEE
ont, County Louth. incurred its pen
,lt!es. The only other passage OF Irish
"gislation in which witchcraft is men
toned Is an act OF 1854 wherein II Is
"cognized as possible means Of homi-
ide.
There Is a mythical statute mentioned
~ Giraldus Cambrensis. prohibiting the
ouying and selling of red swine and in
'pired by the alleged ability of Irish
witches TO turn wisps of hay or straw
MO roam porkers. Sold in the market
he pigs resumed their proper form
ipon crossing running water. But the
act Is not upon the statute books. Many
passages In English writings OF the time
"efer To the soothsayers and witches Of
Ireland, and IL Is said that when n dis
'ase prevailed among their cattle by
'hich the beasts were blinded "our
English people In Ireland" laid the trou-
~" 10 breed OF "eye biting witches"
english pnt1 81 sbin may ,,I,r ,b,,o