1832.] Demonology.-Borough of Malmesbury. gion that is truly conformable to the 1744. Francis Stewart; died 1748. -Tradition. 1749. Bernard Doran; died about 1760.-Tradition. 1761. Theophilus M'Cartin; died near Downpatrick, December 1778. He was a man of singular benevolence. -Belfast News Letter. 1779. Hugh Mac Mullan; died about 1795. 1796. Patrick Mac Mullan; consecrated April 1796; died October 25, 1824. He bequeathed several sums of money to promote education. 1825. William Crolly, May 1st, was consecrated in the New Chapel, Belfast. Mr. URBAN, Malmesbury, May 5. Malmesbury, May 5. I SEND you a copy of a manuscript containing some curious particulars upon the subject of Demonology. It presents a melancholy picture of the ignorance that once prevailed, and of the debased state to which it is possible that the human mind may be reduced. The belief in witchcraft seems to have been particularly prevalent in the county of Wilts, if we may judge from the account of the Drummer of Tedworth in Glanville, and from the facts detailed in this manuscript. His sapient Majesty King James was monstrously puzzled to find an answer for the difficult question, "why Sathan in matters of wichcraft had more frequent dealings with antient gentlewomen, than with young ones?" But now Satan, it should seem, in these matters as in many others, is grown wiser than of yore. Many poor men, to their grievous costs, find that Satan in this respect hath quite as frequent dealings with young gentlewomen as with ancient ones. To be old, wrinkled, and poor, was quite sufficient to stamp any unfortunate female as a witch. Experience, or the evidence of their own senses, appear to have had no influence on the judgment of witnesses, juries, or judges. They saw the accused standing at the bar, completely in their power, offering no resistance, and incapable of escaping from their .405 injustice; yet, notwithstanding this, they considered the mutterings of a wayward, sullen boy, and the ravings of delirium, sufficient evidences of the wretched victim's guilt, and without the slightest remorse consigned her to an ignominious death. The difficulty as to why Satan should forsake his followers in the hour of their greatest need, was accounted for by supposing, that seeing them devoted to a miserable end, he then forsook them, having gained his object, their eternal perdition. Well may we exclaim, with the philosophic poet of antiquity, Tantum Relligio potuit suadere malorum. Yours, &c. B. C. T. Being to mention Malmesbury often in the ensuing narration, I have thought it not unfit, to say something of the policy of that auntient Corporation, which by the justice and clemency and liberality of former Kings, hath not only retained its auntient forme of Government, but hath been inriched with great quantitys of land, which are disposed amongst the Freemen and Guildeners, by very just and prudent methods. The Borrow of Malmesbury is situated in two parishes, that of Malmesbury properly, and that of Westport. But, although the Franchise of The Abbey is part of The Parish of Malmsbury, the Borrow extendeth not into it. The Commoners and Guildeners of Malmesbury are divided into sixe centurys or hundreds or tribes, and every Commoner is reduced under one of these tribes, and inrolled in a large skin, under the name of a tribe or hundred, so that there are six columns of names, all which persons have right of Common in the large portion of grounde called King's Heath, given to them by Charter, in reward of faithful services done to King Athelstan, whose monument is yet extant in Malmesbury, by that magnanimous King, but wisely limited, so that every Commoner hath an equal advantage by it. Now the 48 names which by antiquity or seniority come to be next the names of the respective centurys or tribes, are termed the 48th, and have an addition of land in a Common Field, belonging to that Corporation, as a Corporation. There is also a superiore order of 24*, which are elected ever out of the 48 by the majority of the 24', who doe not always respect seniority, but the tribes of the persons. There is also another order, which consists of 13, who by the majority of the 13, are ever elected out of the 24 onely, in which Election seniority is also not always regarded. Three persons of this 13 are yearly presented to the Commoners by the rest of the 13, who choose out of them an Alderman for the ensuinge yeer, which Alderman is a Justice of the Peace for the Burrow; and hath power to nominate a Deputy who is to act onely when the Alderman is out of the Burrow. These 13 have also large Meadowes or Pastures, none lesse than 87. nor none worth more than 167. per ann. to each one, but under penalties of waste, so that these grounds are not empayred, altho they pass thorow many hands. Out of the profits of these Lands, the 13 pay somewhat to a free schoole, and mayntayne their Burgesses whilst at Parliament, whom also they choose onely. The number of persons in the parish of Malmesbury were some years since, by The Bishop's injunction to Mr. Cooke, the then Vicar, returned to His Lordship, to be a very few under or over two thousand, of which 4 persons onely frequented not the Church, and of them there was no papist, or at least that owned that persuasion; and indeed, upon a diligent inquiry made about 4 years since, there was found in North Wiltshire very few Papists, I think not above 3 women, and no one man inhabiting there, although that part of the Country contaynes the Devizes, Marleborow, Calne, Chippenham, Malmesbury, Wotton Bassett, Cricklade, and Bedwin, all Borow Townes, sending each two Burgesses to parliament, and several other considerable mercat Townes, and about 150 for the more part populous Parishes. Westport perhaps is not much behind Malmesbury Parish, it contayning Westport part of the Burrow, Charleton, which hath Church and Vicarage endowed, and Beokenbury, and several farmes and inhabited places; of these about 400 familys are Commoners of the Burrow, the other inhabitance are either not qualified or cannot be so. Ash Wednesday, 1685-6. Most Honoured and Reverend Sr, By the date of a Letter that will be delivered to yourself herewith, you will see that I designed earlyer to have addressed myself to you in reference to the representing the papers to yourself, which are much more imperfect than I hoped they would have been, which happens for that I am very little master of myne own time; even this very day in which I am fasting even from a bit of bread at or after 5 of the clock after noone, I have had people with me (and have some yet) uppon Justice business, ever since I did rise in the morning, which hinders me from giving you the accompt of many occurrences very extraordinary. Amongst which is a Relation of a Rat which followed and ever would be with that worthy Gentleman S Edward Norris,* then residing in Ireland; an aparition to Mr. William Howard, father of Mr. Craven Howard, presumptive Heyre to The Earle of Berkshire; and several relations of that kind; as also speci mens of several Observations of Animals and Phænomena of meteors, especially of some lately observed heere and neere this place by myself and others. Reverend St, I have so much certaynty of your Candour, that I can beleeve no other, but that you will be pleesed to suspend your judgment of these papers and my purpose, until I have the happiness to attend you at Cambridge, which, God willing, shall be as soone as the wayes are good and our sessions past. I doubt not but you will thinck it very strange that I name not the Justices for this County in the relation of those miserable women's tryals at Malmesbury, in which to you I acknowledge I myself was principally engaged, so that I being the last who came thither, even when the mittimus was made for 13, 12 women and one man, I brought it to pass, that but three of those were committed, of which 2 were convict and executed. I know you will approve the Methodes I persuaded the other Justices to use, which were not to persuade any one of the accused to confesse, much lesse to menace any of Some curious traditionary stories connected with this tale are still related to the visitors of Mallow Castle in Ireland; now the seat of C. D. O. Jephson, esq. M.P. 1832.] Curious Anecdote of the celebrated Dr. Harvey. them, to take nothing for evidence, which was sayd by a boy of 12 years old, in his fitts of being possessed, as was supposed, all which is set forth in the relation. The true reason why I name not myselfe is, for that it pleased God that, although a sinful man, but careful not to doe aught but what was directly next for me to doe in reference to the circumstances I was under then, and of firme faithe as I hope something were done by my head, which were not only mervaylous to others but to myself also, and in the sight of a Cloud of Witnesses now living, and those not meane or unadvised people, but of prudent, sober, and subtle persons, such as Captain Robert Young, now Chiefe Magistrate of Malmesbury, called there Alderman, and several others of Malmesbury, and other neighbouring places. I also advised to procure two of the ablest Ministers, and of best report in all those parts, to speak generally with the Women, and to discover, if they could, whether there was any practice in the case, or any madness, deep melancholly, or hatred of life in Tilling, who confessed the business was long, I having employed twenty days at least about the examinations, in all which time the women were in their owne Houses, with slender guards, but the women before for much the more part were at liberty. I acknowledge with wonder sufficient I have heard severall persons, very learned otherwyse, affirme there were not, neyther could be, any witches; amongst others, Doctor Harvey was induced by a very weake experiment to be of that mind; I was very familiarly acquainted with him, and was often abroad with him, and had severall discourses with him of things in his faculty, but principally about natural philosophy, I agreeing with him for much the more part. I once asked him what his opinion was concerning Whitchcraft; whether there was any such thing? Hee told mee he believed there was not. I asked him what induced him to be of that opinion? He told me that when he was at Newmercat with the King,t Evidently from the context William Harvey, justly celebrated for his theory of the circulation of the blood. He was born in 1578, and died in 1658. + No doubt the unfortunate Charles I. to whom Harvey was physician in ordinary. 407 he heard there was a woman who • Tongs. pearance onely, therefore there are no witches. The good Doctor, upon the woman's returne, who found him busy in observing what the toad would doe in the pickle hee had put him in, was in danger to have a more magical face than hee had before, and habit too; the woman let or rather threw downe the pitcher of ale, flew like a tigris at his face; 'twas well hee had nothing but bare bones and tough tanned skin, neyther hair nor bearde, and twas well his eyes were out of reach, well guarded with prominent bones, otherways it had gone ill with him; but for his short very short old black coat, that scaped not so well, that pay'd for killing the poor woman's Divell. The Doctor intreeted fayrly, offered money, would have persuaded 'twas not a Divell, but a meer toad. That way not prevayling, hee turned his tale, sayd hee was the King's Phisitian, sent by the King to discover whether indeed shee was a witch; if a witch, to have her apprehended; if not, to undeceave her, if hee could. The name of the King, and the word apprehending, brought her into a better temper; and after having been called 1000 old cheating rogues, and as many times freely given to the Divell, the Doctor got away; tolde the Kinge, whose leave he had to go upon the expedition, the whole story, which was pleasant entertaynment for that good King at his dinner. I did know the Doctor's temper well, and that it did not much concern me what opinion he was of in that poynt. I onely say'd, “I think I have heard their Spirits have recourse to toades or other animalls (which the witches keep and feed) at set times, or wherefore Spirits are called upon extraordinary occasions, but doe not exert them constantly, for then the poor divells would have a very bad time of it." I am certayne this, for an argument against Spirits or witchcraft, is the best and most experimentall I ever heard, and as logically managed as I ever expect to have any.Pardon this long trouble, I beseech you, Sr, and bee pleased to beleeve there is no one honours you more than, Reverent S', [no name.] It is not possible as yet for me to set out all the Charges against the persons I mention now who have suf fered on the accompt of Witches, there having been many convicted formerly before my time, and some since, of whom I onely can now give the names; such was John Barlowes wife, convicted of and executed for Whitchcraft about 55 years since. Alice Elger, widow, dwelling in Westport, became so audaciously noxious to the good inhabitance, there being none but martial law then, it was about 1643; Malmesbury then being in the hands of the Armys ranged against the King; that the Soldiers and some of the lowest of the people did in the mercat place use her very roughly, moved by an instant emergent, so that shee, perhaps to avoyd the like, went home and poysoned herselfe, as was then beleeved, and was buried in a cross way as a felon of herself. Orchard, widow, was beleeved to be a Witch universally, and was very conversant with Alice Elgar, and thought to bee her Confederate about 27 years since; shee came to the house of Hugh Bartholomew, of Malmesbury, brewer, and finding his daughter Mary, since wife to Robert Web, not long since Alderman of Malmsbury, now deceased, about the doore, Orchard asked her for some barme or yeast. The sayd Mary, apprehending harme from her, if she should give her any, refused her, and sayd there was none to spare. Orchard told her there were 40 hogsheads or barrels then working, but was told by the sayd Mary, there was none for her. She rejoyned, "Then you will give me none? 'twere better for you you had; and went away muttering to her self." Immediately after shee was gone, a great cipress chest in which Mr. Bartholomew kept his money, being in the chamber over the roome where he and his company were, was lifted up and let fall, so that it shook the whole house; immediately afterwards they heard great cracks, and the gingling of money, of which there was above 2001. as they thought, and as in truth it was. Mr. Bartholomew beleeved his chest had been broken, and his money or part of it lost, went not upp into the chamber, but followed Orchard towards her house, and being to passe thorow a large plat of ground, which is within the walls of the Towne, where much timber was lay'd and sawyed out, hee asked the sawyers if they sawe Goody Or 1832.] Anecdotes of Witchcraft, in Wiltshire. chard goe homewards? They say'd they did, that shee was gone to her house a little while before. Hee cominge to her house, and finding the door shut, and the window-boards down, knocked at the door and the windows, but nobody answered; although hee told her hee had six pence for her. A neybour's wife opened the door of her house, and seeing Mr. Bartholomew knocking at the doore, and calling Goody Orchard by her name, asked laughing, whether her neybour Orchard had used or played any of her frolliques with him? Hee answered she had, and that because she was refused barme at his house, she caused her Spirits to breake his greate cyprus chest, and for ought he knew, to throwe about or carry away his money. Goody Orchard, who it seems was harkening, hearing what hee say'd, speake as near as I can remember, for some are alive heard them, these words: "You lie, you old Rogue; your Chest is not broken, the nayles are only drawn, and there is never a penny of your Money gone.' He being well pleased to heare it was no worse, went home, and taking company with him, went into the roome, where he found the pinns or nayles of the Chest onely drawn, the money out of the bags, but none missing; but the lock so filled with it, and some of the money in the lock so bent, that he was forced to cause a smith to take it off, and to pull it to pecces, to get out the money, and to fit it up for use. Immediately after Mr. Bartholomew was gone from Orchard's house, shee packed upp what shee thought fit to carry with her, and left the house and towne, and was not heard of in 3 or 4 months; and then that shee was in Salisbury Gaole, committed thither for bewitching a young Mayde, a gardiner's daughter of Burbage, about 4 miles south or south east of Marleboro'; the manner of it was thus: Early in the morning this goody Orchard came to the gardiner's house; hee was one of those who kept great grounds of early pease, carrotts, and turnips, for to serve mercats, and prayed his daughter, a young mayd of 17 or 18 years, then coming from fetching carrotts to bee carried out to mercat, to give her some victuels. Shee, whose hands GENT. MAG. May, 1832. 409. were sandy, answered, "By her throth shee would wash her hands, and cut something to eat herselfe, for shee was ready to faynting, having been from the first day light working hard, filting up and cleansing carrots, and that shee had done more than that idle Old Woman had done in a twelvemonth; and after she had eated a bit or two, shee would give her some victuals." The Mayd's Father hearing her answere the Woman as above sayd to her, cut the poore woman some bread and cheese, and let her goe about her business. The Mayd answered, let her staye; "I am so faynt, I can scarce stand on my leggs; I will eat a bit or two, and give her some.' "There was a garden by the doore near the path to it, where were walks round a grasse plot, into which garden the woman stepped, and, neyther walking or running, she trotted about the garden in the walk; and when she came round it, she trotted into the middle of the grass plot, and squatted downe there. This she did three times, muttering some words not understood by those present, and then trudged away as fast as shee could. The young Mayd having water brought her, put her hands into it to wash them, which she had no sooner done, but her fingers were distorted in theyr joynts, one this way, another that way, and with such extreame torment, that shee cryed out as if one had been about to kill her, or shee had been killing, and say'd, that wicked old woman had bewitched her, and preyed her father to send after her, and bring her back. Many horses being ready to goe out with carrots to the mercats, men and labourers mounte, and some one way and some another pursued the Woman, and the third day found her begging about twenty miles thence at Edington, in the Mannour House, of which Mr. Leues,* a person not to bee mentioned without his due prayse of being both very prudent and very hospitable, dwells; to him they brought the woman. Hee having heard the Complaynt, and taken the information and examination, made a Mittimus for her to Salisbury Goale; but, on the request of the men who tooke her, hee suffered them to carry her * Qu. Leving. |