Mr: URDAN, Sept. 5. THE HE Afh-tree defcribed by your Correfpondent, p. 512, grows by the fide of Shirley-street (the road leading to Birmingham from Hocklyhouse), at the edge of Shirley-heath, in Solihull parish. The upper part of the gap formed by the chizzel has clofed; but the lower remains open, as reprefented, Plate I. Fig. 1; and the tree is healthy and flourishing. Thoinas Chillingworth, fon of the owner of an ad joining farm, now about 34, was, when an infant of a year old, paffed through a fimilar tree, now perfectly found, which he preferves with fo much care that he will not fuffer a fingle branch to be touched, for it is believed the the life of the patient depends on the life of the tree, and the moment that is cut down, be the patient ever fo diftant, the rupture returns, and a mortification enfies, and terminates in death, as was the cafe in a man driving a waggon on the very road in queftion. Rowe's fon was paffed through the prefent tree in 1792, at the age of one or two. It is not, however, uncommon for perfons to furvive for a time the felling of the tree. In one cafe the rupture returned fuddenly, and mortification followed. Thefe trees are left to clofe of themfelves, or are clofed with nails. The Wood-cutters very frequently meet with the latter. One felled on Bunnan's farm was found full of nails. This belief is fo prevalent in this part of the country, that inftances of trees that have been employed in the cure are very common. The like notions obtain credit in fome part of Effex. Dr. Borlafe (Nat. Hift. of Cornwall, p. 179) mentions a noted ftone in Maddem parish, through which it was cuftomary for perfons to creep for pains in their backs and limbs; and the fanciful parents, at certain times of the year, did caftomarily draw their young children through, in order to cure them of the rickets; and that two brafs pins were carefully laid acrofs each other, on the top-edge of this ftone" for oracular purpofes. Whether thefe cufroms have any reference to each other, Antiquaries inuft determine, as alfo concerning the power of Ath-trees to repel other maladies or evils, fuch as threw mice, the topping one of which animals alive into a hole bored in an GENT. MAG. October, 1804.

*** It is probably a Saxon Sceatta. No. I. in a plate of ancient and fingular coins found in the Ifle of Thanet, and published by Mr. John White of Newgate-street, is very nearly fimilar to it. EDIT.

Fig. 3 is a figure at Shurflon, between Malmsbury and Brittol.

Fig. 4 is the feal of the Staple of St. Botulf, now Boston, in the poffeffion of Samuel Gale, efq. who engraved it on a feparate plate, 1736. It reprefents St. Botulph, the Patron Saint, with a crofier, in his right and a book in the left hand, and in his lap a woolfack. It is circumfcribed Sigill. Stapulz de fando Botulfo. "There were" fays (Leland, Itin. VI. 59) 1111 Colleges of freres (brethren) marchantes of the Stilliard cumminge by all parts by Eaft, that were wont greatly to haunt Bofton, The Staple and the Stilliardhoufes yet there remaining. "The Staple for wool," fays Camden, "being fettled here, brought in great wealth, and invited merchants of the Hanfeatic league who eftablished here their guild, or houfe." St. Botulph, he aids, was a moft pious Saxon, who, according to Bede, had a Monaftery at Icanhoe. He travelled into Belgic Gaul for knowledge, and returned unto his native country; died A. D. 655, and was buried at Thorney. Four parishes in London bear his name, and one at Colchefter. His anniversary was on June 17.-Butler's Lives of Saints, VI. 252.

circumftances which gave rife to this fuppofition were briefly thefe. Joan Flower and her two daughters, Margagaretta and Philippa, fervants at Belvoir caftle, were difmiffed for neglect of bufinefs, and various mifdemeanours. This excited their revenge against the family; they therefore made ufe of all the enchantments, fpells, and charms, that were at that time fuppofed to anfwer their malicious purpofes. Henry, the eldest of the fons, died foon aftter their difmiflion; notwithstanding which, no fufpicion of witchcraft arofe till five years afterward; when the woman and her two daughters, who are faid to have entered into a formal contract with the devil, and to have become devils incarnate themfelves,' were accufed of murdering Henry lord Rofs by witchcraft, and torturing the lord Francis, his brother, and the lady Catherine his fifter. Being apprehend ed five years after the fuppofed fact, after various examinations before Francis lord Willoughby of Erefby, fir George Manners, fir William Pelham, fir Henry Haftings, Knight, and Samuel Fleming, D. D. Rector of Bottesford, and other his Majefty's Juftices of the peace for the faid parts of the county, they were committed to Lincoln gaol. Joan Flower died at Ancalter in her way thither, by wifhing the bread and butter fhe ate might choak her if the was guilty. The two daughters were tried before fir Henry Hobart, Chief Juftice of the Common Pleas, and fir Edward Bromley, one of the Barons of the Exchequer; confefled their guilt, and were executed at Lincoln, March 11, 1618-19,"

However we may deplore the ignorance of the times, thefe unhappy women could not be faid to be innocent; as, from the depofitions of others, and their own examinations and confellions, there could be no doubt of their intentional guilt. In fhort, they believed themfelves witches. Many of the evidences in the different examina

tions concerning the witchcraft were of Bottesford, and are in the regifler of that time, fome of their defcendants being yet living. Their cafe was printed 1618, 4to; and foon after was publifhed The wonderful Difcoverie of the Witchcrafts of Margaret and Phillip Flower, Daughters of Joan Flower, neere Bever Cafile; executed at Lincolne, March 11, 18, who were Ipecially arraigned and condemned be

fore Sir Henry Hobart, and Sir Edward Bromley, Judges of Allize, for confelling themfelves Actors in the Deftruction of Henry Lord Roffe, with their damnable Practices against others the Children of the Right Honourable Francis Earl of Rutland. Together with the feverall Examinations and Confellions of Anne Baker [of Bottesford, fpinfter], Joan Willimot [of Gowby, widow], and Ellen Greene [of Malherne], Witches in Leicesterthire. Printed at London, by G. Eld, for I. Barnes dwelling in the Long Walke, neere Chrift Church, 1619," 4to.

From the latter pamphlet the p portraits here given in Plate II. are faithfully copied. It is preferved at large in Mr. Nichols's Hiftory of Leicefterfhire, vol. II. Appendix, p. 69; and is a moft ttriking proof of the then prevalent opinion on the fubject of witchcraft. The examinations were taken by Magiftrates of the firft confèquence in the neighbourhood.

In 1621appeared, "Strange and wonderful Witchcrafts: difeovering the damnable Practices of feven Witches against the Lives of certain noble Perfonages, and others of this kingdom; with an approved Trial how to find out either Witch or any Apprentice to Witchcraft." See alfo Turner's "Hiftory of Remarkable Providences," &c.

that

The calamities in the Earl's family are faid to have occafioned the famous Act of Parliament in that reign, against forcery, and other diabolical practices, which was lately repealed. Howel tells us, in his Letters, vol. I p. 58, king James, a great while, was loth to believe there were Witches; but that which happened to my lord Francis of Rutland's children convinced him.' This is contradictory to the tenor of the Demonologia,' which was published long before.

Yours, &c.

Mr. URBAN,

M. GREEN.

Oct. 5.