Famous Witches - Dame Alice Kyteler

Wealthy and well respected woman from Kilkenny, Ireland, Dame Alice Kyteler (1280 - ?), accused from poisoning and running a band of heretical sorcerers made it as a first person to be tried for witchcraft and heresy in Ireland.

First person to be tried for witchcraft and heresy in Ireland

Dame Alice Kyteler, first witch in Ireland

Demonic magic, upper class sorcery, witchcraft accusations and demonological heresy captures Ireland in 14th century.

Dame Alice was married four times:

William Outlawe - merchant and moneylender

Adam le Blond - moneylender

Richard de Valle - landholder

Fourth husband Sir John le Poer was very ill with wasting disease when Dame Alice was charged. His children thought that Alice might be poisoning him because they have found some potions and powders allegedly used in black magic. Sir John and his children accused Alice of bewitching her first three husbands to death, seeking advice from demons through sorcery in night meetings and poisoning her recent husband. She was supposedly causing death and diseases by lotions from entrails of cocks sacrificed to demons.

Magic manuscript, 15th century

The bishop of Ossory, Richard de Ledrede, made an inquisition of Dame Alice in 1324.

Accusation was following:

1. denial of faith of Christ

2. nine red cocks and eyes of nine peacocks were sacrificed to various demons.

3. night meetings with blaspheme and excommunicate herself with lighted candle by naming each part of her body and shouting:

Fi! Fi! Fi! Amen.

5. making evil powders from worms, dead

Incubus, demon

men´s nails, entrails of cocks, the hair, brains and shreds of unbaptized boys in
a cauldron from thief´s scull.
6. bewitching Sir John until his nails and hair fell out
7. Robin, son of Art, or black man was
her incubus and source of wealth.

It was also alleged that she was sweeping the filth from streets with a broom towards the home of her favorite son muttering:

To the house of William my sonne Hie all the wealth of Kilkennie towne

Witch burning

Thanks to family status the arrest of Dame Alice and her son William was blocked. Dame Alice fled to Dublin. Bishop charged William with heresy, but Alice´s influential contacts had bishop Ledrede arrested and jailed. He was released after 17 days.

Bishop´s Ledrede trying to arrest Dame Alice on charges of sorcery was unsuccessful. She fled to England.
Her son William spent nine weeks in jail. He confessed to all the charges but let off with penance of pilgrimage to the shrine of St. Thomas at Canterbury and had to pay for the roof of the Cathedral.

Dame Alice´s maid, Petronilla de Meath, was arrested and flogged until she confessed that her mistress was guilty of sorcery and orgies. Petronilla was burned alive on 3 November 1324 - she was the first person in Ireland to be executed by this method.
Dame Alice Kyteler was sentenced in her absence and her lands were forfeited.

Bishop Ledrede was accused of heresy as well and his lands seized by the Crown. He was set free but after 10 years accused again and deprived of his possessions and land.

After Dame Alice Kyteler escaped to England she was never heard of again.