Highways and Byways in SussexLucas, E. V. (Edward Verrall)
History
Highways and Byways in Sussex
Lucas, E. V. (Edward Verrall)
Sussex (England) -- Description and travel
"It is likewise discovered to have large feete, but the eye may be
there deceived; for some suppose that serpents have no feete, but glide
upon certain ribbes and scales, which both defend them from the upper
part of their throat unto the lower part of their bellie, and also cause
them to move much the faster. For so this doth, and rids way (as we call
it) as fast as a man can run. He is of countenance very proud, and at
the sight or hearing of men or cattel, will raise his necke upright, and
seem to listen and looke about, with great arrogancy. There are likewise
on either side of him discovered, two great bunches so big as a large
foote-ball, and (as some thinke) will in time grow to wings; but God, I
hope, will (to defend the poor people in the neighbourhood) that he
shall be destroyed before he grow so fledge.
"He will cast his venome about four rodde from him, as by woefull
experience it was proved on the bodies of a man and a woman comming that
way, who afterwards were found dead, being poysoned and very much
swelled, but not prayed upon. Likewise a man going to chase it, and as
he imagined, to destroy it with two mastive dogs, as yet not knowing the
great danger of it, his dogs were both killed, and he himselfe glad to
returne with hast to preserve his own life. Yet this is to be noted,
that the dogs were not prayed upon, but slaine and left whole: for his
food is thought to be, for the most part, in a conie-warren, which he
much frequents; and it is found much scanted and impaired in the
encrease it had woont to afford.
[Sidenote: SIGNED AND WITNESSED]
"These persons, whose names are hereunder printed, have seene this
serpent, beside divers others, as the carrier of Horsam, who lieth at
the White Horse in Southwarke, and who can certifie the truth of all
that has been here related.
John Steele.
Christopher Holder.
And a Widow Woman
dwelling nere Faygate."
It would be very interesting to know what John Steele, Christopher
Holder, and the widow woman really saw. Such a story must have had a
basis of some kind. A printed narrative such as this would hardly have
proceeded from a clear sky.
St. Leonard's Forest has another familiar; for there the headless
horseman rides, not on his own horse, but on yours, seated on the
crupper with his ghostly arms encircling your waist. His name is
Powlett, but I know no more, except that his presence is an additional
reason why one should explore the forest on foot.
[Sidenote: SUSSEX NIGHTINGALES]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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