| Countess Cecily Manners | Countess Cecily Manners, the second wife of Sir Francis Manners and the wealthy widow of Sir Edward Hungerford, she was from Belvoir in the county of Leicestershire. Identified as Lady Rosse, the Countess of Rutland, she was the mother of Henry Lord Rosse and Francis Lord Rosse, and stepmother to Lady Katherine. All three of her children allegedly become bewitched after Lady Rosse dismisses the Joan and Margaret Flower from their employment at Belvoir (Beaver) Castle. Margaret Flower alleged in her examination that Sir Francis Manners and Lady Rosse were also bewitched to make them unable to have more children. Countess Manners (C2-C2v) | AFter the Right Honourable Sr. Francis Manners succeeded his Brother in the Earledome of Rutland: and so not onely tooke possession of Beauer Castle, but of all other his demeanes, Lordships, Townes, Mannors, Lands, and Reuennues appropriate to the same Earledome: hee proceeded so honourably in the course of his life, as neither displacing Tenants, discharging seruants, denying the accesse of the poore, welcoming of strangers, and performing all the duties of a noble Lord, that hee fastened as it were vnto himselfe the loue and good opinion of the Countrey wherein he walked the more cheerefully and remarkable, because his honourable Countesse marched arme in arme with him in the same race; so that Beauer Castle was a continuall Pallace of entertainment, and a daily receptacle for all sorts both rich and poore, especially such auncient people as neighboured the same; amongst whom one Ioane Flower, with her Daughters Margaret and Phillp were not onely relieued at the first from thence, but quickly entertained as Chair-women, and Margaret admitted as a continuall dweller in the Castle, looking both to the poultrey abroad and the wash-house within dores: In which life they continued with equall correspondency, till something was discouered to the noble Lady, which concerned the misdemeanour of these women. And although such honourable persons shall not want of all sorts of people, either to bring the[m] newes, tales, reports, or to serue their turne in all offices whatsoeuer; so that it may well bee said of them, as it is of great Kings and Princes, that they haue large hands, wide eares, and piercing sights to discouer the vnswept corners of their remotest confines, to reach euen to their furthest borders, and to vnderstand the secrets of their meanest subiects: yet in this matter, neither were they busie-bodies, flatterers, malicious politians, vnderminers, nor supplanters one of anothers good fortune; but went simply to worke, as regarding the honor of the Earle and his Lady, and so by degrees gaue light to their vnderstanding to apprehend their complaints. () |