"In these daies lived, in the Diocese of Ossorie, the Ladie Alice Kettle, whome the Bishop ascited to purge hir selfe of the fame of inchantment and witchcraft imposed unto hir, and to one Petronill and Basill, hir complices. She was charged to have nightlie conference with a spirit called Robin Artisson, to whome she sacrificed in the high waie nine red cocks, and nine peacocks' eies. Also, that she swept the streets of Kilkennie betweene compleine and twilight, raking all the filth towards the doores of hir sonne William Outlaw, murmuring and muttering secretlie with hir selfe these words:
"'To the house of William my sonne
Hie all the wealth of Kilkennie towne.'
"At the first conviction, they abjured and did penance; but shortlie after, they were found in relapse, and then was Petronill burnt at Kilkennie: the other twaine might not be heard of. She, at the hour of hir death, accused the said William as privie to their sorceries, whome the bishop held in durance nine weeks; forbidding his keepers to eat or to drinke with him, or to speake to him more than once in the daie. But at length, thorough the sute and instance of Arnold le Powre, then seneschall of Kilkennie, he was delivered, and after corrupted with bribes the seneschall to persecute the bishop: so that he thrust him into prison for three moneths. In rifling the closet of the ladie, they found a wafer of sacramentall bread, having the divel's name stamped thereon insteed of Jesus Christ's; and a pipe of ointment, wherewith she greased a staffe, upon which she ambled and gallopped thorough thicke and thin when and in what maner she listed. This businesse about these witches troubled all the state of Ireland the more; for that the ladie was supported by certeine of the nobilitie, and lastlie conveied over into England; since which time it could never be understood what became of hir."
Roger Outlawe, the Prior of Kilmainham, was made Lord Justice for the first time in 1327. The Bishop of Ossory was then seeking his revenge on Arnold le Powre, for he had given information against him as being—
"Convented and convicted in his consistorie of certeine hereticall opinions; but because the beginning of Powres accusation concerned the justice's kinsman, and the bishop was mistrusted to prosecute his owne wrong, and the person of the man, rather than the fault, a daie was limited for the justifieing of the bill, the partie being apprehended and respited thereunto. This dealing the bishop (who durst not stirre out of Kilkennie to prosecute his accusation) was reputed parciall: and when by meanes hereof the matter hanged in suspense, he infamed the said prior as an abettor and favourer of Arnold's heresie. The Prior submitted himselfe to the trial."
Proclamation was made, "That it should be lawful for anie man ... to accuse, &c. the Lord Justice; but none came." In the end, six inquisitors were appointed to examine the bishops and other persons, and they—
"All with universal consent deposed for the Prior, affirming that (to their judgements) he was a zelous and a faithfull child of the Catholike Church. In the meane time, Arnold le Powre, the prisoner, deceased in the castell; and because he stood unpurged, long he laie unburied."
In 1332, William Outlawe is said to have been Prior of Kilmainham, and lieutenant of John Lord Darcie, Lord Justice.
This Bishop of Ossorie, Richard Lederede, was a minorite of London: he had a troubled episcopate, and was long in banishment in England. I have met with his name in the Register of Adam de Orlton, Bishop of Winchester, where he is recorded as assisting that prelate in some of his duties, A.D. 1336. He died however peaceably in his see, and was a benefactor to his cathedral. (See Ware's History of Ireland.)
W. H. G.
Winchester.
[It may be added, that much information respecting both Roger Outlawe and the trial of Alice Kyteler would be found in the interesting volume published by the Camden society in 1842, under the editorship of Mr. Wright, entitled Proceedings against Dame Alice Kyteler, prosecuted for Sorcery in 1324.]