Witches of Alice!

“Years between 13 and 17, left behind lots Alice, 

Each accused of magic with Malice, 

Charged with Playing with the Devil, 

And causing lots of local upheaval, 

Without knowledge of Germs or common reason, 

The witches were charged with high treason, 

Their only crimes were cause of difference,  

Or even of religious preference, 

Some were old and some were young, 

And their stories are yet unsung, 

One by one Alice’s, American, European, English, 

Their lives and deaths may seem a bit Childish, 

But let their lessons remind you that, 

Society should never be a copycat. 

Ireland 1324, De Meath and Lady Kyteler, 

A forced confession, by religious nutter, 

He proclaimed that Alice had Murdered her Husband’s, 

For Wealth and witchcraft she used her talents, 

De Meath her Loyal Servant, tortured, 

She divulged the Flying broom she conjured, 

Lady Kyteler managed an escape, 

But all others were burned at the stake. 

Although not Alice it is important to note, 

That in 1485 a book was wrote, 

Malleus Malefcarum, or Hammer of witches, 

Claimed to be a guide for the all righteous, 

It’s Author went by Heinrich Kramer, 

And his book put many innocents in danger. 

Used by Magistrates all over, 

The book, lead to all those who suffer.  

Next Alice to uncover in Scotland 1594, 

Brawling brothers caused the death of Allison Balfour, 

The Paranoid Black Patie, found poison, 

His brother’s servant threaten his position, 

When Servant was Tortured under oath, 

That he and Allison were in on it both, 

Balfour family taken away, although confessions retracted,

The Scottish magistrate swiftly acted.

Next we have a trio of three, 

In 1612 England we be, 

First is Allison Device of the Pendle, 

Only 18, She causes this major stumble, 

Device is said to have caused a stroke, 

But instead a witch hunt she does provoke, 

In Apology she Herself condemned, 

And ten others to the rope did attend, 

Her Whole Family had given themselves to evil, 

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Her 9 year old Sister made their sentence final, 

Our Second Alice of this story was bound,  

Because at a gathering she was found, 

Alice Nutter differed from most,

Old age, money and land, she could boast,  

Again little Jannet, was key witness, 

Pendle has statue to remember this darkness. 

The Third and final Alice Of Pendle, 

Got away without much manhandle, 

She banded a group to help the others, 

Instead, this Alice joined the numbers, 

All were caught and then let free, 

Unlike the other two of our three. 

Now for a Story Across the pond, 

The witch hunts there had been postponed, 

Alice Young, of the new world, 

Was First to die a witch upon the scaffold, 

She lived in Connecticut and died in Hartford, 

There’s not much about her on Record, 

However, it is said she was a scapegoat, 

Illness and influenza had killed many to note,

She was hung for all to see, 

As the first to die across the sea. 

1692 we then have Salem, 

20 witches killed but not at random, 

Two Little girls began convulsing, 

Three were tried Tituba, confessing, 

She Pointed the finger at others in the village,

Because this gave her an little advantage, 

Causing Chaos one thing lead to another,

Giving the magistrate much power, 

One of the 20 souls to have been lost, 

Was little Alice Parker her life is what it cost. 

There a many tails of Alice’s passed, 

Their names onto the innocent pile are tossed, 

These witches had no Flying brooms or pointed hats,

Nor wore black and had Funny cats, 

They were ordinary people in a time of great pain, 

But their deaths must not be remembered in vain, 

Each Alice, Claire, Sarah, Susan, Liz , Bridget,  

Or George, John and Giles must not be kept secret, 

But let their lessons remind you that, 

Society should never be a copycat. 

— Ella Tabitha Coleman