A contemporary narrative of the proceedings against Dame Alice Kyteler, prosecuted for sorcery in 1324, by Richard de Ledrede, bishop of Ossory / edited by Thomas Wright.

Date:
1843
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A contemporary narrative of the proceedings against Dame Alice Kyteler, prosecuted for sorcery in 1324, by Richard de Ledrede, bishop of Ossory / edited by Thomas Wright. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    104/120 (page 52)
    [51 tS * Drogheda, Friday next after the feast of St. Blaise, before Richard duke of York, &c. 38 Hen. VI. 1459. * [tem, prayen the commons — That whereas Sir Thomas Bath, knight, pretending to be lord of Lowth, whereunto he hath no title of inheritance, at such time as he was in the realme of England, used such conversation and ill conduct as caused him to be committed to the prison of Ludgate, in the city of London, from which prison he was delivered and redeemed, by the aid, labour, and succour of his brother, Bartholomew Bath, and after sued our sovereign lord the king for the office of escheater of Ireland, by which he falsely disseised Sir John Pilkington, knt. to whom and his heirs the said office was granted by king Henry IV. He accused master John Stackboll, doctor of each degree, of high treason, who was acquitted, whom the said Sir Thomas robbed and plundered so much, that the said master John obtained the pope's bull to Edmund bishop of Meath, to declare the said Sir Thomas excommunicate until he restored the said John his goods, who being disobedient, the bishop at Navan, on a market day, in solemn procession, excommunicated the said Sir Thomas in obedience to the pope's command, and desired that in any town, where the said Sir Thomas should thereafter come, no baptism or burial should be had or mass sung or said within three days after his residence there. In which excommunication the said Sir Thomas remains, continuing in his malicious, inhuman, and diabolical obstinacy against the church of God. And not yet content nor satisfied with the intent and gratification of his said malice, caused certain of his servants to go to the abbey of Navan, where the said master John was, and violently took him out of the church of our blessed Lady there and carried him to Wilkinstoun, and there kept him in prison and cut out his tongue; and, in their estimation, put out his eyes; after which he was again carried to the said church, and cast before our blessed Lady, by the grace and mediation and miraculous power of whom he was restored to his sight and tongue. Whereupon it being considered, that, if due and severe punishment be not herein made and provided, no man will fear to offend against the church of God, or the censures of the ministers thereof, or the laws, liberties, privileges. and immunities thereof, it was ordained that proclamation be made, that the said Sir Thomas should appear before the duke of York, on Tuesday next, before the feast of Saint Patriek next ensuing, and if he shall not appear, to be out of the king's protection, and forfeit all his lands to the king. And also it is ordained, that the said Sir Thomas never shall have place in the said parliament of the said land, or hold any office therein, by the grant of our sovereign lord. And proclamation was accordingly made two several days. . After this, this nobleman's name appears described in subsequent statutes and records as Sir Thomas Bath, /ate lord of Louth ! ! /