The circumstances of the death of Ferdinand, fifth earl of Derby,
in 1594, have particularly engaged the attention of the contemporary
historians. Hesket, an emissary of the Jesuits and English Catholics
abroad, was importunate with this nobleman to press his title to the
crown, as the legal representative of his great-grandmother Mary,
youngest daughter to king Henry the Seventh. But the earl, fearing,
as it is said, that this was only a trap to ensnare him, gave
information against Hesket to the government, in consequence of which
he was apprehended, tried and executed. Hesket had threatened the
earl that, if he did not comply with his suggestion, he should live
only a short time. Accordingly, four months afterwards, the earl was
seized with a very uncommon disease. A waxen image was at the same
time found in his chamber with hairs in its belly exactly of the same
colour as those of the earl. [211] The image was, by some zealous
friend of lord Derby, burned; but the earl grew worse. He was himself
thoroughly persuaded that he was bewitched. Stow has inserted in his
Annals a minute account of his disease from day to day, with a
description of all the symptoms.