Tuesday, 22 November 2016

irish witches 2

Continued.....

She was accused with her "followers" of sacrificing at the crossroads, 
using the entrails of the sacrificial animals to
make ointments, and concourse with demons. 
Nothing if not milking the idea that she was a witch to the full.
She had a spirit called Robert Artisson, who she consorted with..
..one of the denizens of Hell.
Sometimes he appeared as a black dog, a cat, or as a black man.

Are we talking about shadow people, in the days before
the concept of shadow people took off?

There was a fierce battle between Dame Alice and the bishop.
One of the Bishop's problems was that he was an Englishman, and 
not liked because of it, so local people did rally behind her.
Witch hunters didn't always have it their own way.
To rile him, presumably, she  even escaped
and fled to England.

In the meanwhile a woman called Petronilla de Meath 
confessed to all of the crimes attributed to Alice, 
claiming that Alice was a greater witch than she was.
For being a copycat, she was flogged and then burnt.
The first person to die for witchcraft in Ireland.

Alice lived a peaceful life in England, and maybe did cast a
few nice innocent spells here and there. Or maybe not?

The presence of a black man in this story really is interesting.
What exactly was the origin of the "Black Man" in 
magical lore.? Could all shadow people be the direct result 
of witchcraft? 

More on that........

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