Career
She had seven children by him, each of whom was left a generous legacy in their father"s will of 1788. Cottle was portrayed by Matthew Archdeacon as uneducated and a "professed woman of pleasure." T. H. Nally maintained she was not a peasant but joined Sir Harry as a governess from a local Big House. Sir Harry was urged to abandon Cottle and marry a woman of his own class and religion.
Cottle reputedly responded by commissioning a powerful love charm, the spancel of death (Irish: an buarach bháis).
Holian, reputedly a local witch, guaranteed that Sir Harry would be spellbound for life should Cottle apply the spancel to him.
