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maypoleman1 · 2 months

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11th March

The Witches of Belvoir Castle

Source: Media Storehouse website

On this day in 1618, six alleged witches were hanged in Lincoln. Unlike many of the unfortunate women executed for witchcraft as a result of petty jealousy, malicious gossip or primitive superstition, these “witches” openly admitted to dabbling in the black arts and using them to commit murder. Joan Flower and her daughters, Margaret and Philippa, worked for the Earl and Countess of Rutland as servants in Belvoir Castle. When the women were dismissed after being caught red-handed stealing some of the family silver, they turned to witchcraft to exact their revenge. Apparently Joan and her daughters, joined by three other witches recruited by Joan - Anne Baker, Joan Willimot and Ellen Green - put together a series of malicious spells which, it is said, led to the death of the Rutlands’ youngest sons. Not stopping there, the Belvoir Castle witches then cursed their former employers with sterility. The group let it be known they were behind the tragedies and were soon arrested and brought before a court.

Part of the prosecution’s evidence was that when asked to eat a loaf of bread, Joan choked, a sure sign of a witch. It should perhaps be mentioned that this “test” consisted of shoving the bread down the suspected witch’s throat as far as it would go, inevitably causing a choking reaction. The women were duly executed. Thieves and troublemakers the women may have been, but witches almost certainly not. Their real crime was perhaps to be defiant towards Rutland at a time of rigid class division and structural misogyny.

#the witches of Belvoir castle

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evita-shelby · 9 months

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Tie your heart to mine

Chapter 12

Cw:mentions of death, near death expiriences and trauma

Gif by @emziess

No more lying, Diane means it.

So when she offers him a tour of the house to get away from the servant’s watchful eyes, the witch proves it.

“Ask away.” She says leading him into the gallery.

Her mom has a love for the dark, most of Francisco Goya’s paintings and other obscure works adorn the walls of her private gallery in the small drawing room.

But here she displays some you would find in a normal estate.

Some portraits of her family, one of a long dead Smith relative, Beatte Smith, that she swindled from the 9th Duke of Rutland at Belvoir Castle the moment she got proof that the Romani King, Absalom Smith, was truly her ancestor and that his lovely daughter deserved to be displayed in her descendant’s house.

“Why were you so angry at me not treating your prophecy seriously?” Tom asks looking at Waterhouse’s Pandora as he asks her.

Rather fitting, he is opening the box and unleashing everything with that question.

Up until now, she had avoided speaking of her family history.

There was no need to ruin things with all of the skeletons in their closet.

“On my tenth birthday, I predicted Aunt Polly’s death, and five months later, she was shot in the head by the IRA.

A few years later, when I was fourteen, I was misdiagnosed with consumption by doctors because my best friend who sat beside me school, Cathy Shelly, caught it and died from it that same week.

Thank God it had been pneumonia and I survived when many of my classmates didn’t, but it still changed my perspective to know it is always one step behind me.

That even if I can feel it coming, I cannot stop it. Not for me not for anyone.”

Always one step behind her and that one day it will catch up or take someone she loves forever.

Now that she knew it was stalking Tom, she was so afraid of losing him. Of having him gone just like that.

Tom knew death, perhaps more than she did. He and his sister had been so young when their mum died of Influenza.

Stupid of her to expect him to have reacted to the inevitability of death like she did.

“I’m sorry for saying those things to you that night, we all process these things differently and I should’ve known better than to judge you for how you deal with shit like that.” She apologized and he accepted it.

“I suppose I could forgive you, like you said we deal with it differently.” Tom gave her hand a squeeze and even a small smile as they made up. “But I won’t accept your apology until you are completely honest with me about this.

Do you feel it coming for me?” he asks, deathly serious, his hand growing clammy in hers.

It being death, even calling it so is enough to scare the both of them.

“A chill in my bones every time I see you in your uniform, but mama sees us married with children, so perhaps it isn’t your death I feel might be someone else.” Diane answered wishing she could lie and say no, I don’t think you’re dying.

Death was a tricky thing to pin down in visions, her mother only saw it when it was going after a stranger or when she could prevent it for a loved one.

She didn’t see Tom’s death but saw a death in his family.

Maybe Douglas, or Lois or the baby that keeps appearing in Lois’ cards lately.

“Married, eh? Can’t even work up the courage to tell you I love you and you’re telling me I either die or settle down with you.” He pushes away his fears with his jokes and Diane realizes she doesn’t mind it anymore. Not one bit.

“I think you just did, Tommy.” The witch feels herself soar with that casual I love you he had said.

“Would you like to hear it again?” he asked with that grin of his that drives her crazy.

“As if you need to ask.” Diane answered knowing those three words will stay with her forever.

He leans down, letting her throw her arms around his neck as she stands as far as her tiptoes allowed her to and meet him halfway. “I love you, and I’m going to love you even if I don’t come back.”

“He’s dying isn’t he?” her husband asks as they quietly observe the young couple hiding in the maze.

They weren’t seen by Florence, but Tommy and Eva could see them just fine from their bedroom window.

Bennett had gotten their daughter something for her birthday, a necklace he puts on her as they sit on one of the white stone benches in the walled maze.

Diane kissed his cheek in thanks and her boyfriend says something that has the two of them laughing quietly before deciding Florence and Gabriel have been tortured enough.

They were young and in love, and it was a sight that contrasted with the grim future awaiting them.

“Prisoner of war, but no, Tom Bennett’s not dying.” The witch shook her head smiling softly as she saw how sweet they were with each other.

Eva sees Douglas Bennett become a shell of himself when they tell him Tom’s missing in France, she sees him ignoring the sirens telling him to run and sees him accept death as he asks Josie to forgive him for not taking care of the children better.

“But his father will.”

#tie your heart to mine fic #tom bennett x ofc #tom bennett x diane #world on fire peaky blinders crossover #thomas shelby x oc #thomas shelby fanfic #peaky blinders fanfiction #ewan mitchell

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venicepearl · 2 years

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A contemporary sketch of three other women accused: Anne Baker, Joan Willimot & Ellen Greene.

The Witches of Belvoir were a mother and her two daughters accused of witchcraft in England and the deaths of two young brothers, Henry (died 1613) and Francis Manners (died 1620), the heirs to Francis Manners, 6th Earl of Rutland, whose seat was at Belvoir Castle . The mother, Joan Flower, died on the way to her trial, and the two daughters, Margaret and Philippa, were supposed to be hanged in Lincoln. It is said that Phillipa drugged the guards and managed to escape and make her way to Kent where she died after having three children.

#The Witches of Belvoir #witch hunt #anne baker #joan willimot #ellen greene #joan flower #margaret flower #philippa flower #XVII century #Illustration #art #arte

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dashnthebookhouseboys · 4 years

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Witches of Belvoir

The Witches of Belvoir were a mother and her two daughters accused of witchcraft in England and the deaths of two young nobles, Henry (died 1613) and Francis Manners (died 1620), the heir to Francis Manners, 6th Earl of Rutland, whose seat was at Belvoir Castle.

Witches, or women (and sometimes men) deemed as witches have been ill-treated by the authorities, including the church, during much of the UK’s history. The Elizabethan age had been fairly moderate in it’s attitude towards witches and witchcraft, then James VI of Scotland succeeded to the English throne and he regressed on this attitude.

The Witches of Belvoir were Joan Flower and her daughters Margaret and Phillipa. Joan had been accused of witchcraft for years, the evidence? She was extremely ugly, swore in a harsh voice and never went to church.

Her daughter Phillipa had been accused of witchcraft on completely different accusations by a local man, Thomas Simpson. He accused Phillipa of bewitching him into falling in love with her to such a degree he couldn't control his thoughts.

Joan’s other daughter, Margaret, was employed at Belvoir Castle and had been fired for stealing food. When the Earl’s son, Henry died he remembered that Margaret was fired and came to the conclusion that she must have had something to do with his son’s death.

Along with the Flowers three other women were accused of witchcraft, Anne Baker, Joan Millimot and Ellen Greene. What happened to these women in the weeks and months that followed can only be imagined, but after months of torture they were ready to confess.

Phillipa Flower confessed that an evil spirit came to her in the form of a white rat, that she allowed to suck from her left breast. In return the evil spirit enabled her to make Thomas Simpson fall in love with her and consume his every thought.

Magaret Flower confessed she two left evil spirits suck from her breasts, this time the evil spirits appeared as black and white familiars. She promised them her soul. Whilst in prison she confessed to being visited by four more spirits in the form of a black headed ape, her mother’s cat, Rutterkin, the other two she called Little Robin and Spirit. She also confessed that her mother asked her to steal a glove from Henry and Francis Manners. They rubbed the gloves on the back of Rutterkin and burnt Henry’s and left Francis’ to rot, which is why he didn’t die as fast as Henry. Magaret also confessed that she and her mother had used other spells on the family to prevent them from having more children.

The fate of Anne Baker, Joan Willimot and Ellen Greene is not known. Joan Flower died in prison while eating a piece of bread, she allegedly said before eating it, “If I am guilty of any witchcraft, may I be struck dead on the spot.” Here was the proof needed to find her guilty and therefore her two daughters guilty by association. There’s conflicting reports here some say they were both hanged. Some say Margaret was the only one to hang and Phillips escaped after poisoning her guards, then made her way to Kent where she died after having three children.

So that’s the story of the Witches of Belvoir. I guess the moral of the story is don’t be too ugly. Or too pretty. Or have pets. Or be a woman to be honest.

No be ALL that and give them something to be fearful of, be you.

#dash’n’thebookhouseboys #local folklore #folklore #witches #witch trials #king james vi #mysteries #urban legends #leicestershire #belvoir castle #witches of belvoir #castles #unsolved mysteries

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x-x-just-a-little-witchyy-x-x · 3 years

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The History Of Witchcraft In Britain

The belief in magic and magical practices has been documented in Britain all the way back until antiquity – the belief that people could have influence over or make predictions about the natural world did not arise only in the 16th century.

Alleged practices

There were thought to be many types of witchcraft that one could practice, such as alchemy; the purification, perfection, maturation and changing of various substances, and astrology; the reading of the heavens to predict one’s future, however in the early modern period the most concern was over that which involved dealing with the devil. Witches were said to make pacts with the devil in exchange for powers, belief and prosecution of witchcraft in Scotland was especially focused on the demonic pact.

Witches no longer were seen as healers or helpers, but rather were believed to be the cause of many natural and man-made disasters. Witches were blamed for troubles with livestock, any unknown diseases and unpredicted weather changes.

The first witch condemned in Ireland, Lady Alice Kyteler was accused of such practices as animal sacrifice, creating potions to control others and possessing a familiar(an animal companion often thought to be possessed by a spirit which aided a witch in her magic).

Prevalence of belief

It was not just common folk that believed in the existence of witches and magic, but Royals and the Church as well. Henry VIII changed the face of religion in Britain, and it was common belief that this allowed for dark or satanic forces to arise. As a result a law was passed which defined what it was to be a witch and how they must be prosecuted.

However, not everyone was convinced. A member of parliament in England called Reginald Scot wrote a book called The Discoverie Of Wi;tchcraft which in part presented his belief that Britain had been fooled into believing in witchcraft by easily explained tricks. The book's success was widespread, but his scepticism in regards to magic was not what drew in most of its admirers: The Discoverie of Witchcraft also contained details regarding the belief in and practices of witches - it held sections on alchemy, spirits and conjuring, much of which is thought to have inspired Shakespeare’s descriptions of the witches in Macbeth.

Another book which was thought to play a part in the creation of Macbeth was Daemonologie by King James VI of Scotland. A stark contrast to that of Scot, King James VI was a firm believer in magic and the role of demons in its practice. His book acts as a dissertation on the practice of necromancy, divination and dark magic and how demons seek to influence weakened men and women and convince them to take part in the unholy practice of magic. It was in essence published to inform the general population of Scotland about why witches must be hunted and prosecuted.

Witch hunts and trials

Wales

Compared to the rest of Britain, Wales had relatively few trials or hunts for witches during the early modern period. Many accusations were made, but finding proof made convicting women as witches rather difficult. The first witch to be trialled and executed in Wales was Gwen Ferch Ellis of Llandyrnog. She was accused of using a poppet (a figurine fashioned to look like a specific person, used for spell casting) and casting a destructive charm. Charms were common in this time and often used for healing, an art which Gwen herself took part in, however this specific charm was written backwards and as per the traditions of the time this meant that it was meant for harm.

Scotland

Between the years of 1500 and 1700 somewhere between 4000 and 6000 people were tried for witchcraft in Scotland, a much higher number than any of the other British countries attained. This was likely due to the reign of King James VI who was known for his interest in sorcery and magic. He was even documented as having overseen trials and torture of multiple women accused of witchcraft. Following the Scotland's union with England 1707 prosecutions of witches declined as they were more tightly controlled by specific magic related laws.

One of Scotland's most notable mass witch trials occurred under the reign and supervision of King James VI. The trials took place in North Berwick between the years of 1590 and 1592, and led to at least 70 accused witches being condemned to violent torture and in most cases, death. The trials took place after the King experienced terrible storms whilst journeying by ship to Denmark where he would marry Princess Anne. King James VI, having seen authorities in Denmark accuse women such as Anna Kolding of using witchcraft to create the storms during the Copenhagen witch trials, turned to the "witches" in North Berwick to blame for this event. Most of the information we have on the North Berwick trials was found in the King's book Daemonologie, as well as a pamphlet entitled Newes from Scotland that was published in London. The trials were infamous in their time, and were known to have influenced Shakespeare's Macbeth. The play borrows the setting of the trials and draws on many of the witches confessed practices, the witches also reference the storm during King James VI's crossing to Denmark in their spell:

"Purposely to be cassin into the sea to raise winds for destruction of ships."

England

The death toll in England was significantly lower than that of Scotland, but many notable trials still occurred due to a number of self-proclaimed "witch-hunters". One such witch-hunter was a man from East Anglia, Matthew Hopkins, who called himself the "Witchfinder General". Hopkins and his associates were believed to have caused the executions of at least 300 accused men and women.

One of the more well known trials was that of the Witches of Belvoir, which implicated three women; Joan Flowers, and Margaret and Philippa Flowers, who were her two daughters. The three were known locally to be herbal healers, and following their dismissal as servants from the Castle of Belvoir the Earl and two of his sons died whilst the Countess and her daughter suffered from violent illness. It was five years after these events, and after the hanging of a group of witches in Leicestershire that the Flowers were arrested on suspicion of harming the Earl of Rutland's family through sorcery. Joan Flowers died on the way to her trial after consuming communion bread. Her daughters confessed to having familiars, to having visions of demons and to performing a spell on the Earl and Countess' children. Margaret was hung at Lincoln Castle on the 11th of March 1619, whereas her sister managed to escape, presumably by drugging the guards.

The last documented executions of witches in England occurred during the Bideford witch trial in Devon. Three women were hanged for the crime of causing a local woman, Grace Thomas, to fall ill by supernatural means. There was a great deal of other accusations that also contributed to their being found guilty, although none of which had any evidence. The women that were hanged were Temperance Lloyd; a widow, Mary Trembles; a beggar, and Susanna Edwards; another beggar.

Ireland

Unlike the mass trials and executions found across the rest of the UK, and even the rest of Europe during the early modern period, Ireland's number of prosecutions failed to reach even double figures. It has been suggested that this is due to the lack of religious upheaval in Ireland during this time, it has also been suggested by Ireland's general population that this fact may be due to their strong cultural belief in the Sidhe, more commonly known as fairies, which were known for causing trouble and general mischief which in other countries was linked to witchcraft (e.g. the curdling of milk, dying of crops etc.). Nevertheless there were still a series of notable trials that occurred, the first of which was Lady Alice Kyteler(described above) and her maidservant Pertonilla de Meath, who was tortured and forced into confessing them both to be witches which led to them being burnt at the stake. Another well documented witch trial occurred in March 1711 where eight women were convicted and sentenced to death for the practice of witchcraft in Islandmagee, an area of strong Scottish-English heritage, which Dr. Andrew Sneddon suggests may be a cause for its large scale.

Information found on: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Witchcraft_in_early_modern_Britain

#witchcraft #my research #history

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imago-mortis-uk · 3 years

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Art is dead | Death is art www.imagomortis.co.uk #gothic #Occult #metal #witch #horror #satanic #blackmetal #witchcraft #doom #fashion #highfashion #sombrebeings #gothy_style #gothicandamazing #artofawitch #thedarkartistries #darkartists #imagomortis #imagomortisartwork #imagomortisphotography (at Belvoir Castle) https://www.instagram.com/p/CPbKyoVnIpB/?utm_medium=tumblr

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fireandlux · 6 years

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The Discoverie of Witchcraft, brings us a historical event of a mother and her two daughters who were accused of being witches. Margaret and Phillipa Flower, daughters of Joan Flower. Initially, the three women were know as herbal healers. Times were obviously rough in those days especially for women and for those who were not from privileged backgrounds. The three women having fallen into financial hardship landed jobs as servants with the 6th Earl and countess of Ruthland at Belvoir Castle near Grantham, Lincolnshire. Upon arrival of King James I additional servants were necessary. Having the reputation of herbal healers, the other employees were not too fond of the women and ultimately got them discharged. Historical records note after their termination, in an act of revenge Margaret stole a right hand glove that belonged to Lord Ros, Rutland’s heir, and gave it to her mother Joane, who is said to be a notorious Witch. Joane was said to stroke her cat, with the glove, dipped it in boiling water, pricked it, and buried it. It was claimed that these practices caused the countesses son, Lord Ros's death, similarly causing their daughters death and other members of their family illnesses and tragedies. Finally, subsequent to the death of their second son Francis, the three women were arrested and accused of witchcraft in December of 1618. Upon their arrests, Joan Flower claimed innocence. At Lincoln, Margaret accused her mother of witchcraft, while Phillipa admitted to practicing witchcraft. Joan confessed to having a familiar spirit in the form of a cat named Rutterkin, similarly the sisters admitted to entering into pacts with familiar spirits in to assist them in their workings. Ultimately, the sisters confessed to stealing the glove of Lord Ros, giving to their mother and casting Baneful curses on Ros and his family. The three women were executed in 1619, by way of hanging. 📸 @nyxturna

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afairymind · 4 years

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River Devon

For day 72 of 365 Days Wild I took a trip out to the picturesque Leicestershire village of Bottesford. As an historical settlement, I not only got to indulge my love of nature, but also my love of history.

A view towards the vicarage

My parents lived in Bottesford for the first three years of my life, before our rapidly expanding family (I’m number four of six children) meant that a larger property was required and we relocated into Nottinghamshire.

The name, Bottesford originates in Anglo Saxon, meaning “Ford belonging to the botl” (house). As the name suggests, the village is built around a ford over the River Devon (pronounced dee-von). Unfortunately, the ford itself was being used as a paddling pool by a group of toddlers and their mums – just as it was used by my family and I nearly 40 years ago – which meant that I couldn’t really photograph it, but I did enjoy the other views of the river to be found.

The village is close to Belvoir Castle (pronounced bee-ver) – which is home to the Duke and Duchess of Rutland. It is the largest village in the Vale of Belvoir. Bottesford church, which is dedicated to At Mary the Virgin, is known as the Lady of the Vale, and it is the burial place of several of the earls of Rutland. These all date back to pre-1703, when a mausoleum was built at Belvoir after the family’s elevation to a dukedom.

The Lady of the Vale

One of theses tombs at Bottesford church is particularly known for its inscription, which attributes the death of two small boys to the ‘wicked practice of sorcerye’ by the Witches of Belvoir.

One of the Witches of Belvoir

These witches were the Flower family, a mother, and her two daughters. They lived in Bottesford and were known as a family of local healers who had fallen on hard times. They were accused of using witchcraft to kill the young heirs to the 6th Earl of Rutland. Joan Flower, the mother, died on her way to trial. Her daughters, Margaret and Philippa Flower, were executed in Lincoln Castle. It is unclear where exactly in the village the Flower family lived, though it is known to have been close to the church.

Providence Cottage

There are a number of old buildings in the village, including the grade ii listed Providence cottage, which dates back to 1723. This is over 100 years after the time of the witches, who died in 1619. It is possible that the home of the Flowers was destroyed after their execution. It is also possible that Providence cottage was built on its site.

Riverside and Providence cottages

Path through vicarage garden

Picturesque holiday cottage

Jubilee Clock

Stocks and pillory, with market cross behind

Worn crest on market cross

The stocks and whipping post are also grade ii listed. The market cross and Fleming’s Bridge are scheduled monuments.

Fleming’s Bridge

For a short while I stood on the bridge and watched as the water flowed beneath it.

From there we crossed into the churchyard and wandered for a time amongst the graves, wondering at the lives of the people who lived and died here.

When we lived here as children, the angel statue used to terrify us – my older sister in particular. My mum used to walk home from the shops along the path that it stands beside, and Nic would refuse to go anywhere near it. She was eight when we moved away, but still remembers it with a shudder. Knowledge of its creepiness just made the Doctor Who episodes with the Weeping Angels doubly freaky!

I was particularly drawn to this grave that was covered in Calendula flowers, and I spent quite a while photographing a honey bee that was busy amongst the blooms.

It wasn’t until I was at home and able to zoom in on the engraving on the headstone that I was actually able to see the name on it. When we lived in Bottesford in the 1980s there was an older lady who lived nearby who was incredibly helpful to my mum. She used to babysit us, and would always have sweets and cakes to hand. We called her Auntie Peggy. None of us can remember her full name. My mum lost touch with her once we moved away. Looking at the name, age and dates on the stone, it is possible that this is where our old friend lies.

Nature lover that I am, I loved seeing all of the pots of flowers to be found outside buildings around the village, the patches of cobblestones, and the old walls with flowers growing out between the stones.

A Visit to Bottesford For day 72 of 365 Days Wild I took a trip out to the picturesque Leicestershire village of Bottesford.

#Belvoir #Bottesford #day out #earthwitch #English village #Ford #Out and about #village #Wiches

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chriskarrtravelblog · 4 years

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Capturing the castle: Belvoir Castle and the Duchess of Rutland

One of the greatest stars of Netflix drama The Crown is Belvoir Castle. Her Grace, The Duchess of Rutland tells Felix Rowe about her custodianship of this stunning stately home

Perched on a hilltop on the Leicestershire border, with impenetrable walls and imposing turreted tower, Belvoir Castle (pronounced ‘Beaver’) ticks all the boxes for a medieval fortress. Except it isn’t really a castle at all. It’s a grand 19th-century country house designed to dazzle and impress, rather than hold its own in battle.

But that’s not to say it doesn’t seep heritage from every battlement. The estate’s very existence is owed to the greatest battle in English history. Belvoir’s story stretches back 1,000 years, and features a king at war with his nation, alleged witchcraft and murder.

The current ‘castle’ is actually the the fourth incarnation of Belvoir to stand on the site. The first stemmed from the Norman Conquest, thrown up as a symbol of the new management following William the Conqueror’s victory at Hastings.

The second castle, built using stone from local monastic houses dissolved by Henry VIII, saw its share of action. During James I’s reign three former servants were tried as witches for the death of the two male heirs, Henry and Francis Manners. Belvoir was an active Royalist stronghold during the English Civil War, and Charles I even spent a night there during the conflict, an event which no doubt sealed the building’s fate. It was torn down by the victorious Parliamentarians in 1649.

The Elizabeth Saloon in Belvoir Castle. Credit: Sam Churchill

Its replacement, a modest country house built during the Restoration of Charles II, was also razed to the ground – this time by its own inhabitants, to make way for the grand Gothic Revival home that sits there now. And grand it certainly is.

Belvoir is a luscious, widescreen feast for the eyes; it’s easy to see what makes the house so appealing to film location scouts for blockbusters including The Da Vinci Code and the recent Victoria & Abdul. The real Queen Victoria was one of many illustrious guests to have stayed here. Visiting in December 1843, the Queen and Prince Albert arrived with a large entourage that included the Duke of Wellington and Prime Minster Sir John Peel.

Belvoir’s royal connections – real or purely cinematic – don’t end there. Fans of Netflix’s The Crown will already be familiar with its richly adorned Regency interiors and beautifully manicured gardens, which have proved to be the perfect substitute for the Queen’s beloved Windsor Castle. The Elizabeth Saloon, featured in Season Three, is a popular choice for directors looking to create a spectacle and evoke the opulence of the royal palaces. Belvoir also made an impression on a young Walt Disney, who visited as a child – it was apparently a key inspiration for the fantasy castle seen in the opening credits of every Disney production.

Belvoir also lays claim – among other contenders for the title – to being the home of afternoon tea, a Victorian tradition that supposedly began during a visit from the Duchess of Bedford, Queen Victoria’s Lady of the Bedchamber.

Find out more about Belvoir castle and read our interview with the Duchess of Rutland by reading the full feature in Vol 88 Issue 2 of BRITAIN magazine, on sale here.

The post Capturing the castle: Belvoir Castle and the Duchess of Rutland appeared first on Britain Magazine | The official magazine of Visit Britain | Best of British History, Royal Family,Travel and Culture.

Britain Magazine | The official magazine of Visit Britain | Best of British History, Royal Family,Travel and Culture https://www.britain-magazine.com/features/belvoir-castle/

source https://coragemonik.wordpress.com/2020/02/13/capturing-the-castle-belvoir-castle-and-the-duchess-of-rutland/

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evita-shelby · 4 months

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Rules: Share your OC's full name and the meaning/origins behind it. Then (If you'd like) inculde any insights or symbolic meanings about their name you wish to share, or just your reasons for giving them the name that you did!

No pressure tags: @zablife @raincoffeeandfandoms @call-sign-shark @thegreatdragonfruta @red-riding-wood @runnning-outof-time @arcielee @assortedseaglass

Eva Leonor Smith Riley

Cw: use of a slur, mentions of suicide

For oc names i go with how the parents would name them given the society they live in and vibe. Eva was no different.

Eva gets two lastnames because of naming conventions in mexico, so its her father's surname followed by mother's maiden name.

So first name and middle name:

Eva: is the latin spelling of the hebrew words Chava/Hava meaning life or life giver.

While i could lie and say Eva’s name was chosen of the symbolism that she helps Tommy heal and grow into a better man, she is named Eva after Evita Peron, first lady of Argentina who after her dictator husband was overthrown.

She was rather influentian and there was a myth taht where her body was hidden(it was exhumed and stolen) flowers would appear there.

Eva's name also comes from a 1917 femme fatale played by Mimi Derba in La Tigeresa named Eva who pretended to be a poor woman to win the heart of a lower class man and then broke up with him, faked her death which drove him insane only for her (now married to a rich man) to visit the institution he was in for charity and he kills her in his mad rage.

While the femme fatale is more in line with s1 Grace , Eva reveals in Of Gods and Witches she seduced the president's son and when he discovered his father was gonna have her assassinated while under house arrest he commits suicide ala Antigone and Haemon. This all happened while she was secretly dating her best friend and cousin’s secret girlfriend, Antonia.

But in the fic, Eva is named Eva because her mother, Isabel, schemed to make herself go into labor in the Sistine Chapel(right ubder God's Creation of Eve)to get the current Pope (Benedict XV) attend the baptism and his successor the future Pope Pius XI to be her godfather because the archbishop of mexico refused to go to her family's estate to baptize Eva’s older brother Gabriel.

Leonor: is the portuguese and spanish variant of Eleanor meaning Torch, light and/or sun ray.

Leonor was the name of her great grandmother who descends from Emperor Moctezuma, the last Aztec ruler, through his son Juan Moctezuma who was made a spanish noble. Leonor Moctezuma, Eva’s great grandmother, was born to a member of the Moctezuma family and a Nahua secretary in Mexico City.

Last Names:

Smith: anglo-saxon 'to hit or strike' possibly related to a person who was a metal worker.

So Smith is a common English surname and the surname of a romani traveller king named Absalom Smith in the early 19th century. He died in 1826 with the title of king of the gypsies (please excuse the slur)and had been elected so in the early 19th century according to the Mamchester Times. He was a fiddler and his daughter Beatte Smith was so beautiful there is portrait of her in Belvoir Castle, Manchester.

The Smiths were apparently an important Romani family like the Boswells who the Shelbys claim descendance from and the Welsh Romani woman Tommy seeks to see if the sapphire was cursed is also a Boswell. Eva was originally going to be a Boswell but that would've made her a relative of Tommy and i decided against it.

Riley: anglicized irish last name meaning rye-clearing.

So Eva’s grandfather Patrick Riley was an Irish immigrant and oc nephew to John Patrick Riley, Captain of the Saint Patrick's Battalion who were composed Catholic Irish, Scotsmen. Freed slaves and men of color tired of the racism they dealt with in the US and defected to Mexico right before the Mexican American War in the 1850s.

John Riley immigrated to the US due to the Great Famine and despute being known for his great strength of character and morality died alone and penniless in Veracruz as the torture and defeat of his battalion at the hands of the americans left him with very severe trauma and teh letters D on both sides of his face branded onto his skin for desertion even though he deserted before the war.

It provides as to why Eva is of mixed race and how her grandmother who is old money ended up having red haired children and show how diverse Mexico actually is

#oc games #eva smith shelby #eva smith riley

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tipsycad147 · 5 years

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Lincoln Witches

Lincoln Witches (d. 1618) Three women accused of deadly witchcraft against an earl and his family in rutland, England. mother Joan Flower died before trial, but her daughters Margaret and Philippa confessed to murder by witchcraft and were executed. The case is especially interesting for the details of folk spells described by the accused.

Like many accused witches, the Flower women were believed by their neighbours to be evil witches long before their official trouble. Joan especially was known for her ill temper, rude manners, uncouth behaviour, oaths and Curses. The women worked as domestic servants and, around 1613, Margaret managed to get employment at Belvoir Castle, the home of Sir Francis manners, the sixth earl of rutland. Margaret did the laundry and looked after the chickens. She evidently was a poor servant. She stole from the castle, taking things home to her mother, and she also engaged in lewd behaviour with men in the castle.

Philippa, meanwhile, fell in love with a man named Thomas Simpson, and bewitched him into loving her—or so he said later.

Margaret fell out of favour with the earl’s wife, who fired her and gave her an overly generous severance pay of 40 shillings, a bolster and a mattress of wool. Margaret went home unhappy. According to their later confessions, the Flower women decided to take revenge on the earl and his family by witchcraft. The Devil appeared to them and promised that if they would serve him, he would send them familiars and they would be able to “easily command what they pleased.” They agreed.

Joan sent Margaret back to the castle to obtain the right-handed glove of the earl’s oldest son, Lord Henry rosse (also given as roos), a small child. Margaret found it in a dunghill. Joan boiled the glove, pricking it often with a knife. She took it out and rubbed it on the back of her cat, rutterkin—her familiar—instructing the spirit to go and harm the child. She then buried the glove in the yard. Soon the boy fell ill and died and was buried on September 16, 1613. (At a second examination, Margaret said she found the glove on rushes in the castle nursery. Her mother did not bury the glove, but threw it in the fire and burned it at the end of the spell.)

The witches then gleefully bewitched the earl’s next son, Lord Francis, who fell severely ill. Francis died, but not until 1619 or 1620. The witches also caused the earl’s only daughter, Katherine, to fall seriously ill. They obtained her handkerchief, boiled it and then rubbed it on rutterkin and ordered the cat to harm her. Katherine managed to survive, marry and have children. Finally, the witches put a curse on the earl and his wife to have no more children. Joan obtained a pair of their gloves. She put the gloves and some of the wool from the mattress into warm water, added some blood (records do not say whose blood), stirred and rubbed the wool and gloves on the belly of rutterkin while she muttered the curse. The couple in fact had no more children.

The earl suspected the Flower women of witchcraft and ordered them to be arrested around Christmastime 1617 and brought to jail in Lincoln. Before she was taken, Joan undertook a traditional ordeal, to eat bread and butter and swear that it should not pass through her if she were guilty. She did so, did not speak again and fell down and died before she could be taken to jail. Her daughters were arrested and imprisoned.

Margaret confessed that she had two familiars, one white and one black with spots. The white spirit sucked under her left breast and the spotted spirit sucked “within the inward parts of her secrets,” or vagina. While in jail, she said that on the night of January 30, 1618, four Devils appeared to her around 11 p.m. or midnight. One had a black head like an ape and stood at the foot of her bed, muttering to her unintelligibly. The other three were rutterkin, Joan’s familiar, and Little robin and Spirit, presumably her own familiars.

Philippa confessed to seeing rutterkin leap onto Joan’s shoulder and suck at her neck. She said she had her own familiar in the form of a white rat (see rodents), which for three or four years had sucked at her left breast. Philippa said that when it first came to her, she promised it her soul in exchange for causing Thomas Simpson to love her.

The earl left the women for trial, asking God to have mercy on their souls. They were executed by hanging on march 11, 1618, in Lincoln.

Three other women were examined on charges of witchcraft at about the same time as the Flower women: Joan Willimott, Anne Baker, and Ellen Green (also Greene). Baker testified that she had been told that the death of young Lord Henry was due to witchcraft and that as his glove rotted in the ground so did his liver.

Willimott said that she had met with Joan and Margaret and had gone to their house, where she saw two familiars, one like a rat and one like an owl. One of them sucked under her right ear. Joan told her that the spirits said she would neither be hanged nor burned. Willimott also said that Joan took some dirt, spit on it (see Spittle) and put it in her purse, saying she could not hurt the earl himself, but could harm his son.

Green said she had an association with Willimott. All three confessed to having familiars and performing various acts of maleficia.