zealous protestant; but, that like the morning dew, it quickly vanished; for the good old Countess of Buckingham, never left working by her secret instruments, the Jesuits, till she had placed her on her first foundation." It does not appear from any other authority, that the Duchess of Buckingham declared herself a Roman catholic, while her first husband lived; but, having married a second time, to Randolph Macdonald, Earl, afterwards Marquis of Antrim, she, afterwards, publicly professed that religion. These anecdotes are introduced upon competent authority; and the character of the Duke of Buckingham renders it more than probable, that some such transactions might have taken place; though not to the extent, nor in the manner, assumed by Wilson.

In 1625, Francis, Earl of Rutland, was one of the supporters to king Charles, as chief mourner at the funeral of his father, James I.; and in 1629, we find him attending at Windsor, in honour of the installation of the Earl of Northampton, with five of his principal domestics, Wakeley, Hamerton, Roe, Longfield, and Monsieur Nandeletto. He died at Bishop's Stortford, Dec. 17, 1632; and was buried at Bottesford. (See monuments in ditto.)

By his first lady, he had only one child, Catharine, who married George Villiers,* first Duke of Buckingham of that name; and after his assassination by Felton, Randolph, Earl, afterwards Marquis of Antrim, in Ireland. By her first marriage she had George, second Duke of Buckingham, who took the title of Ros, of Hamlake; but dying without issue, in 1687, that title again reverted to the Rutland family.

By the second marriage, the Earl of Rutland had two sons, Henry and Francis; who both died in their infancy;

* Villiers. Arms-Ancient, sable, a fess between three cinque foils, argent. Modern. Argent, on a cross, gules, five escallops, or.

*

from the effects, as was supposed at the time, of "wicked practice and sorcery." (See monument in Bottesford Church.) The history of this transaction is so remarkable, especially as a proof of the then prevalent belief in witchcraft, that the substance of a pamphlet published at the time will be given. It appears, that among the needy persons dwelling in the neighbourhood of Belvoir, in whose condition the Earl and Countess kindly sympathized, were Joan Flower, with her daughters, Margaret and Phillipa ; whom, at first, the Countess employed as chairwomen; and eventually took Margaret, as a permanent servant, "to look to the poultry abroad, and the wash house within doors." Some representations were made to the Countess to the prejudice of this family, which described

"Joan Flower as a monstrous malicious woman, full of oaths, curses, and imprecations irreligious; and for any thing they saw by her, a plain atheist. Besides, of late days, her very countenance was estranged, her eyes very fiery and hollow, her speech fell and envious, her demeanour strange and exotic, and her conversation sequestered; so that the whole course of her life gave great suspicion, that she was a notorious witch; yea, some of her neighbours dared to affirm, that she dealt with familiar spirits; and terrified them all with curses and threatening of revenge, if there were never so little cause of displeasure and unkindness. Concerning Margaret, the daughter, that she often resorted from the castle to her mother, bringing such provision, as they thought was unbefitting for a servant to purloin; and coming at such unseasonable hours, that they could not but conjecture some mischief between them: and that their extraordinary riot and expenses tended both to rob the lady, and to maintain certain deboist and base company, which frequented this Joan Flower's house the mother, and especially her youngest daughter. Concerning Philippa, that she was lewdly transported with the love of one Thomas Simpson, who presumed to say, that she had bewitched him; for he had no power to leave her; and was, as he "The wonderful discoverie of the witchcrafts of Margaret and Phillip Flower &c. printed at London by G. Eld, for J. Barnes, &c. 1619." 4to.

supposed, marvellously altered, both in mind and body, since her acquainted company. These complaints began many years before either their conviction or public apprehension. Notwithstanding, such was the honour of this Earl and his lady; such was the cunning of this monstrous woman, in observation towards them; such was the subtlety of the devil, to bring his purposes to pass; such was the pleasure of God, to make trial of his servants; and such was the effect of a damnable woman's wit and malicious envy, that all things were carried away in the smooth channel of liking and good entertainment, on every side, until the Earl refused to give that credence to her on some complaint preferred, which he had been accustomed to give; and the Countess discovering in the daughter Margaret some indecencies of her life, and neglect of her business, discharged her from lying any more in the Castle; dismissing her with handsome presents, but commanding her to go home. This inflamed the mother, with hatred and rancour towards the Earl, and his family.

"When the devil perceived the inficious disposition of this wretch, and that she, and her daughters, might easily be made instruments to enlarge his kingdom; and be, as it were, the executioners of his vengeance, not caring whether it lighted upon innocents, or no; he came more near unto them, and in plain terms, to come quickly to the purpose, offered them his service, and that in such a manner, as they might easily command what they pleased; for he would attend you in such pretty forms of dog, cat, or rat, that they should neither be terrified, nor any body else suspicious of the matter. Upon this, they agree, and (as it should seem) give away their souls to the service of such spirits, as he had promised them; which filthy conditions were ratified with abominable kisses, and an odious sacrifice of blood, not leaving out certain charms and conjurations, with which the devil deceived them, as though nothing could be done without ceremony, and a solemnity of orderly ratification. By this time, doth sathan triumph, and goeth away satisfied to have caught such fish in the net of his illusions: by this time, are these women devils incarnate, and grow proud again in their cunning and artificial power, to do what mischief they listed. By this time, they have learnt the manner of incantations, spells, and charms. By this time, they kill what cattle they list; and under the cover of flattery and familiar entertainment, keep hidden the stinging ser

pent of malice, and a venomous inclination to mischief. By this time, is the Earl and his family threatened, and must feel the burthen of a terrible tempest, which, by these women's devilish devices, fell upon him; he neither suspecting nor understanding the same. By this time, both himself and his honourable Countess, are many times subject to sickness and extraordinary convulsions; which they, taking as gentle corrections from the hand of God, submit with quietness to his mercy, and study nothing more than to glorify their Creator in heaven, and bear his crosses on earth.

"At last, as malice increased in these damnable women, so his family felt the smart of their revenge, and inficious disposition; for his eldest son, Henry, Lord Rosse, sickened very strangely, and after awhile, died. His next, named Francis, Lord Rosse accordingly, was severely tormented by them, and most barbarously, and inhumanly tortured by a strange sickness. Not long after, the Lady Catherine was set upon by their dangerous and devilish practices; and many times in great danger of life, through extreme maladies and unusual fits, nay, (as it should seem, and they afterwards confessed) both the Earl and his Countess were brought into their snares, as they imagined, and indeed determined to keep them from having any more children. Oh unheard of wickedness and mischievous damnation! Notwithstanding all this, did the noble Earl attend his majesty, both at Newmarket, before Christmas; and at Christmas, at Whitehall; bearing the loss of his children most nobly; and little suspecting that they had miscarried by witchcraft, or such like inventions of the devil; until it pleased God to discover the villanous practices of these women, and to command the devil from executing any further vengeance on innocents, but leave them to their shames, and the hands of justice, that they might not only be confounded for their villanous practices, but remain as a notorious example to all ages, of his judgment and fury. Thus were they apprehended, about Christmas, and carried to Lincoln gaol; after due examination before sufficient justices of the peace, and discreet magistrates, who wondered at their audacious wickedness. But Joan Flower, the mother, before her conviction, (as they say,) called for bread and butter, and wished it might never go through her, if she were guilty of that whereupon she was examined; so, mumbling it in her mouth, never spake more words after; but fell down and died, as she was carried to Lincoln gaol, with a horrible excruciation of soul and body, and was buried at Ancaster.

"When the Earl heard of their apprehension, he hasted down with his brother, Sir George, and sometimes examined them himself, and sometimes sending them to others; at last, left them to the trial of law, before the judges of assize at Lincoln; and so they were convicted of murder, and executed accordingly, about the eleventh of March; to the terror of all the beholders, and example of such dissolute and abominable creatures."

Henry, Lord Ros, who died by the "wicked practice and sorcery" of these women, was buried at Bottesford, Sept. 26, 1613. His brother Francis survived till March 7, 1619.

On the first perusal of this extraordinary history, though aware of the prevalent belief of the period, in witchcraft, I was inclined to suppose, that, whatever might be the belief of the common people in this particular instance, respecting the "sorcery" employed, their superiors might have discerned evident tokens of "wicked practice" only. That these women were guilty of the murder of two noble children; and attempted the lives of the Earl and Countess, and their daughter Catharine, can be little doubted: by the means probably of some vegetable poison. The principal charge against them, on their own confession, was, their having a cat called Rutterkin; the supposed diabolical agent of their machinations. With regard to Joan Flower, the mother, she appears to have been goaded by a revengeful spirit, which assumed the peculiar medium of witchcraft, from no inclination at first, on her part, to believe herself a witch. This character was forced upon her, by the distaste of her neighbours to her squalid personal appearance, "her eyes fiery and hollow; to her strange and exotic demeanour; her sequestered conversation; to her oaths, curses, and imprecations irreligious:" characteristics, amply sufficient in those days, to procure her the odious reputation of being a witch. To "speak inwardly and to mutter,” (Isaiah 8. 19) has in all ages, been considered a mark of necromancy. And doting, pauperised age, severed from the kindly offices

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