Saturday, April 15, 2023

Another Account of the Mysterious Death of Ferdinando Stanley, Earl of Derby.

Ferdinando Stanley had been the 5th Earl of Derby for less than a year when he travelled to his manor at Knowsley to pass Palm Sunday week. There he took several days of “over violent exercise”. A Doctor Case had been called from Chester to tend to his wife. While there, the Earl asked him to inspect his urine ̶ a common diagnostic test at the time. The doctor informed him that he and his urine appeared to be marvelously healthy and that he saw no need for physic.

On Friday, the 5th of April, the Earl vomited several times. Perhaps wanting to recover at his seat at Lathom he traveled there the next day. The day following, he vomitted seven times. The vomit was rust colored and smelled foul.

Below is one of the accounts by which we are informed of what passed during those days. I take it from the 1631 Howe continuation of Stowe's Annales or General Chronicle of England. A slightly different version appeared in the 1605 edition assembled by Stowe himself. No particular source is cited but another account in the Stanley family papers clearly includes an overview of this account.


The first of Aprill, being the munday before his honour fell sick, a woman offered unto him a supplication, or petition, wherein her request was, that it would please him to give, or assigne her a dwelling place neere unto himself, that shee might from time to time reveale unto him such things with speed, which God revealed unto her for his good. This petition was thought vaine and therefore refused.

On the fourth of Aprill he dreamed that his Lady was most dangerously sicke to death, and in his sleepe beeing sore troubled therewith, he wept, sodanly cryed out, started from his bed, called for helpe, sought about the chamber, betwixt sleeping and waking, but being fully awaked was comforted, because he found her wel: here we omit strange dreames, or divinations of divers grave men, which happened before or about the time of his sicknes.

On the fift of April, in his chamber at [Knowsley] about five of the clocke at night, there appeared soddainly a tall man, with a gastley and threatening countenance, who twise or thrise seemed to cross him, as hee was passing through the chamber, and when hee came unto the same part of the chamber where this shadow appeared, he presently fell sicke, and there vomited thrise. After, Goborne one of his Secretaries attending then upon him saw nothing, which more amazed him. The same night he dreamed that he was in fighting, and twise or thrise stabbed to the heart, and also wounded in many other places of his bodie.

The tenth of Aprill, about midnight, was found in his bed chamber by one master Halsall, an image of [wax] with haire, like unto the haire of his [xx,nems] head, twisted through the belly thereof, from the navell to the [secrets]: This Image was spotted, as the same master Halsal reported unto master Smith, one of his secretaries, a day before any paine grew, and spots appeared upon his sides and bellie. This image was hastily cast into the fire by master Halsall, before it was viewed, because hee thought by burning thereof, as hee sayd, hee would relieve his Lord from witchcrafft, and burne the witch, who so much tormented his Lord, but it fell out contrary to his love and affection, for after the melting thereof, he more and more declined.

The twelfth of Aprill, one Jane a witch demanded of master Goborne, whether his honor felt no paine in his lower partes, and whether he made water as yet or no: and at that very time notwithstanding all helpes, his water utterly stopped, and so remained till he died.

Sir Edward Fitton, who with other Justices examined certaine witches, reporteth, that one of them beeing bidden to say the Lords prayer, sayd it well, but beeing conjured, in the name of Jesus, that if shee had bewitched his honour, shee should not be able to say the same, shee could never repeat that petition, Forgive us our trespasses, no not although it was repeated unto her.

A homely woman, about the age of fifty yeeres, was found mumbling in a corner of his honours Chamber, but what God knoweth. This wise woman (as they termed her) seemed often to ease his honor, both of his vomiting and hickocke [hiccup], but so it fell out, which was strange, that when so long as he was eased, the woman herselfe was troubled most vehemently in the same manner, the matter which she vomited, being like also unto that which passed from him. But at the last, when this owman was espied by one of the Doctors tempering and blessing (after her manner) the juyce of certaine herbes, her potte whereunto shee streined the iuyce, was tumbled downe by the sayd Doctor, and she [xx]ted out of the Chamber, notwithstanding shee did still say that shee would not cease to ease him, althouh she could not perfectly helpe him, because he was so strongly bewitched. All physicke wrought very well; yet he had none or little ease thereby, his diseases were many and his vomits, with stopping his water grievous yet ever his pulse remained as good and perfect as ever it did in time of his best health, till one quarter of an houre before he died. Hee himselfe in all the time of his sicknesse cryed out the doctors laboured in vaine, because hee was certainly bewitched. He fell twise into a trance not able to moove hand, head or foot, when he would have taken physicke to do him good. In the end he cried out often against all witches and witchcraft reposing his only hope of salvation upon the merits of Christ Jesus his Saviour.

One excellent speech, cannot be omitted amongst many in the time of his sicknesse, especially the day before he departed; at which time he desired one of his doctors, whom hee especially [loved], to perswade him no longer to live, because (sayth hee) although [out] of thy love, thou wouldst [xxx] sphere of life: and [xxrst] imploy all thy [lust], art, and travaile to that end; yet knowing for a certaintie that I must now die, I pray thee cease, for I am resolved presently to dye, and to take away with mee only one part of my armes, I meane the Eagles wings, so will I fly swiftly into the boseme of Christ my only Saviour, and with that he sent for his Lady, and gave her his lastVale or farewell, desiring her to [take] away and love his doctor, & also to give him some Jewell, with his armes and name, that he might be remembered: the which thing, immediately after his death was most honorably performed. His spirituall physicians, were the bishop of Chester, maister Lee his Chaplaine.


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