Alice Kyteler
Encyclopedia
Dame Alice Kyteler was a woman who was the earliest person accused and condemned for witchcraft in Ireland. She fled the country, but her servant Petronella de Meath was flogged and burned at the stake on November 3, 1324.
, Ireland
, the only child of an established Hiberno-Norman
family.
She was married four times, to William Outlaw, Adam le Blund, Richard de Valle and finally Sir John le Poer. In 1302 she and her second husband were briefly accused of killing her first husband. Kyteler also incurred local resentment because of her involvement in moneylending. When her fourth husband John le Poer became sick in 1324, he expressed the suspicion that he was being poisoned. After his death, the children of le Poer and of her previous three husbands accused her of using poison
and sorcery
against their fathers and of favouring her first-born son William Outlaw. In addition, she and her followers were accused of denying the faith, sacrificing animals to demon
s and blasphemy
.
, Richard de Ledrede, an English Franciscan
friar
. The bishop wrote to the Chancellor of Ireland, Roger Utlagh
( Outlaw ), to have her arrested but this rebounded on him, the Chancellor being her first brother-in-law. In fact de Ledrede himself was jailed by Sir Arnold le Poer, the Seneschal
of Kilkenny, her fourth brother-in-law. John Darcy, the Lord Chief Justice travelled to Kilkenny to investigate the events and vindicated the Bishop, who again attempted to have Dame Alice arrested.
After some months of stalemate, one of her servants, Petronella de Meath, was tortured, and confessed to witchcraft, implicating Kyteler. After this, Kyteler was condemned. She fled the country, presumably to the Kingdom of England
. She appears no further in contemporary records. The Bishop continued to pursue her lower-class followers, bringing charges of witchcraft
against them. Petronella de Meath was flogged and burned at the stake on November 3, 1324. Her daughter apparently joined Kyteler in England. Kyteler's son William Outlaw was also accused inter alia, of heresy
, usury
, perjury
, adultery
, and clericide. After "recanting", William escaped relatively lightly, being ordered to hear three masses
a day for a year and to feed the poor.
This was one of the first European witchcraft cases and followed closely on the election of Pope John XXII
(1316–1334), to the Papacy. In 1320, he had witchcraft added to the list of heresies.
. Annales Hiberniae state that Ricardus Ledered, episcopus Ossoriensis, citavit Aliciam Ketil, ut se purgaret de heretica pravitate; quae magiae convicta est, nam certo comprobatum est, quendam demonem incubum (nomine Robin Artisson) concubuisse cum ea ... i.e. that Kyteler had intercourse with the demon named Robin Artisson.
The Stone, a novel about the times of Alice Kyteler was published in 2008 written by Kilkenny woman Claire Nolan. "THE STONE" - The Musical, a stage production based on Nolan's book, will be staged in Kilkenny during 2011
Robin Morgan wrote a novel, The Burning Time (Melville House, 2006 ISBN 978-1933633008) about Alice Kyteler's struggles with the Roman Catholic Church. She assumes that Dame Alice was the leader of a traditional coven of traditional witches.
Life
Kyteler was born in Kyteler's House in KilkennyKilkenny
Kilkenny is a city and is the county town of the eponymous County Kilkenny in Ireland. It is situated on both banks of the River Nore in the province of Leinster, in the south-east of Ireland...
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, the only child of an established Hiberno-Norman
Hiberno-Norman
The Hiberno-Normans are those Norman lords who settled in Ireland who admitted little if any real fealty to the Anglo-Norman settlers in England, and who soon began to interact and intermarry with the Gaelic nobility of Ireland. The term embraces both their origins as a distinct community with...
family.
She was married four times, to William Outlaw, Adam le Blund, Richard de Valle and finally Sir John le Poer. In 1302 she and her second husband were briefly accused of killing her first husband. Kyteler also incurred local resentment because of her involvement in moneylending. When her fourth husband John le Poer became sick in 1324, he expressed the suspicion that he was being poisoned. After his death, the children of le Poer and of her previous three husbands accused her of using poison
Poison
In the context of biology, poisons are substances that can cause disturbances to organisms, usually by chemical reaction or other activity on the molecular scale, when a sufficient quantity is absorbed by an organism....
and sorcery
Magic (paranormal)
Magic is the claimed art of manipulating aspects of reality either by supernatural means or through knowledge of occult laws unknown to science. It is in contrast to science, in that science does not accept anything not subject to either direct or indirect observation, and subject to logical...
against their fathers and of favouring her first-born son William Outlaw. In addition, she and her followers were accused of denying the faith, sacrificing animals to demon
Demon
call - 1347 531 7769 for more infoIn Ancient Near Eastern religions as well as in the Abrahamic traditions, including ancient and medieval Christian demonology, a demon is considered an "unclean spirit" which may cause demonic possession, to be addressed with an act of exorcism...
s and blasphemy
Blasphemy
Blasphemy is irreverence towards religious or holy persons or things. Some countries have laws to punish blasphemy, while others have laws to give recourse to those who are offended by blasphemy...
.
Trial
The case was brought in 1324 before the then Bishop of OssoryBishop of Ossory
The Bishop of Ossory is an episcopal title which takes its name after the ancient of Kingdom of Ossory in the Province of Leinster, Ireland. In the Roman Catholic Church it remains a separate title, but in the Church of Ireland it has been united with other bishoprics.-History:The diocese of Ossory...
, Richard de Ledrede, an English Franciscan
Franciscan
Most Franciscans are members of Roman Catholic religious orders founded by Saint Francis of Assisi. Besides Roman Catholic communities, there are also Old Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, ecumenical and Non-denominational Franciscan communities....
friar
Friar
A friar is a member of one of the mendicant orders.-Friars and monks:...
. The bishop wrote to the Chancellor of Ireland, Roger Utlagh
Roger Utlagh
Roger Utlagh, or Roger Outlawe was a leading Irish statesman of the fourteenth century and held the office of Lord Chancellor of Ireland...
( Outlaw ), to have her arrested but this rebounded on him, the Chancellor being her first brother-in-law. In fact de Ledrede himself was jailed by Sir Arnold le Poer, the Seneschal
Seneschal
A seneschal was an officer in the houses of important nobles in the Middle Ages. In the French administrative system of the Middle Ages, the sénéchal was also a royal officer in charge of justice and control of the administration in southern provinces, equivalent to the northern French bailli...
of Kilkenny, her fourth brother-in-law. John Darcy, the Lord Chief Justice travelled to Kilkenny to investigate the events and vindicated the Bishop, who again attempted to have Dame Alice arrested.
After some months of stalemate, one of her servants, Petronella de Meath, was tortured, and confessed to witchcraft, implicating Kyteler. After this, Kyteler was condemned. She fled the country, presumably to the Kingdom of England
Kingdom of England
The Kingdom of England was, from 927 to 1707, a sovereign state to the northwest of continental Europe. At its height, the Kingdom of England spanned the southern two-thirds of the island of Great Britain and several smaller outlying islands; what today comprises the legal jurisdiction of England...
. She appears no further in contemporary records. The Bishop continued to pursue her lower-class followers, bringing charges of witchcraft
Witchcraft
Witchcraft, in historical, anthropological, religious, and mythological contexts, is the alleged use of supernatural or magical powers. A witch is a practitioner of witchcraft...
against them. Petronella de Meath was flogged and burned at the stake on November 3, 1324. Her daughter apparently joined Kyteler in England. Kyteler's son William Outlaw was also accused inter alia, of heresy
Heresy
Heresy is a controversial or novel change to a system of beliefs, especially a religion, that conflicts with established dogma. It is distinct from apostasy, which is the formal denunciation of one's religion, principles or cause, and blasphemy, which is irreverence toward religion...
, usury
Usury
Usury Originally, when the charging of interest was still banned by Christian churches, usury simply meant the charging of interest at any rate . In countries where the charging of interest became acceptable, the term came to be used for interest above the rate allowed by law...
, perjury
Perjury
Perjury, also known as forswearing, is the willful act of swearing a false oath or affirmation to tell the truth, whether spoken or in writing, concerning matters material to a judicial proceeding. That is, the witness falsely promises to tell the truth about matters which affect the outcome of the...
, adultery
Adultery
Adultery is sexual infidelity to one's spouse, and is a form of extramarital sex. It originally referred only to sex between a woman who was married and a person other than her spouse. Even in cases of separation from one's spouse, an extramarital affair is still considered adultery.Adultery is...
, and clericide. After "recanting", William escaped relatively lightly, being ordered to hear three masses
Mass (liturgy)
"Mass" is one of the names by which the sacrament of the Eucharist is called in the Roman Catholic Church: others are "Eucharist", the "Lord's Supper", the "Breaking of Bread", the "Eucharistic assembly ", the "memorial of the Lord's Passion and Resurrection", the "Holy Sacrifice", the "Holy and...
a day for a year and to feed the poor.
This was one of the first European witchcraft cases and followed closely on the election of Pope John XXII
Pope John XXII
Pope John XXII , born Jacques Duèze , was pope from 1316 to 1334. He was the second Pope of the Avignon Papacy , elected by a conclave in Lyon assembled by Philip V of France...
(1316–1334), to the Papacy. In 1320, he had witchcraft added to the list of heresies.
Incubus
This case appears to contain the first recorded claim of a witch lying with her incubusIncubus (demon)
An incubus is a demon in male form who, according to a number of mythological and legendary traditions, lies upon sleepers, especially women, in order to have intercourse with them. Its female counterpart is the succubus...
. Annales Hiberniae state that Ricardus Ledered, episcopus Ossoriensis, citavit Aliciam Ketil, ut se purgaret de heretica pravitate; quae magiae convicta est, nam certo comprobatum est, quendam demonem incubum (nomine Robin Artisson) concubuisse cum ea ... i.e. that Kyteler had intercourse with the demon named Robin Artisson.
Literary references
"Lady Kyteler" figures in William Butler Yeats' poem Nineteen Hundred and Nineteen.The Stone, a novel about the times of Alice Kyteler was published in 2008 written by Kilkenny woman Claire Nolan. "THE STONE" - The Musical, a stage production based on Nolan's book, will be staged in Kilkenny during 2011
Robin Morgan wrote a novel, The Burning Time (Melville House, 2006 ISBN 978-1933633008) about Alice Kyteler's struggles with the Roman Catholic Church. She assumes that Dame Alice was the leader of a traditional coven of traditional witches.