Lancashire Folk-lore: Illustrative of the Superstitious Beliefs and Practices, Local Customs and Usages of the People of the County PalatineHarland, John
History
Lancashire Folk-lore: Illustrative of the Superstitious Beliefs and Practices, Local Customs and Usages of the People of the County Palatine
Harland, John
Folklore -- England -- Lancashire; Lancashire (England) -- Social life and customs
unto a bridle, that jingled, which she put upon the little boy's
head that stood up in the brown greyhound's stead; whereupon the
said boy stood up a white horse. Then immediately the said
Dickonson's wife took this informer before her upon the said horse
and carried him to a new house called Hoare-stones, being about a
quarter of a mile off; whither when they were come there were divers
persons about the door, and he saw divers others come riding upon
horses of several colours towards the said house, which tied their
horses to a hedge near to the said house, and which persons went
into the said house, to the number of three score or thereabouts, as
this informer thinketh, where they had a fire and meat roasting,
and some other meat stirring in the house, whereof a young woman,
whom he, this informer, knoweth not, gave him flesh and bread upon a
trencher, and drink in a glass, which, after the first taste, he
refused, and would have no more, and said it was nought. And
presently after, seeing divers of the company going to a barn
adjoining, he followed after, and there he saw six of them kneeling,
and pulling at six several ropes, which were fastened or tied to the
top of the house, at or with which pulling came then in this
informer's sight flesh smoking, butter in lumps, and milk as it were
syling [skimming or straining] from the said ropes, all which fell
into basins which were placed under the said ropes. And after that
these six had done, there came other six, which did likewise; and
during all the time of their so pulling, they made such foul faces
that feared this informer, so as he was glad to steal out and run
home; whom, when they wanted, some of their company came running
after him, near to a place in a highway called Boggard-hole, where
this informer met two horsemen, at the sight whereof the said
persons left following him; and the foremost of which persons that
followed him, he knoweth to be one Loynd wife, which said wife,
together with one Dickonson wife, and one Janet Davies, he hath seen
at several times in a croft or close adjoining to his father's
house, which put him in a great fear. And further this informer
saith, upon Thursday after New Year's Day last past, he saw the said
Loynd wife sitting upon a cross piece of wood being near the chimney
of his father's dwelling-house: and he, calling to her, said, 'Come
down, thou Loynd wife,' and immediately the said Loynd wife went up
out of his sight. And further, this informer saith, that after he
was come from the company aforesaid to his father's house, being
towards evening, his father bade him go fetch home two kine to seal
[cows to yoke], and in the way, in a field called the Ollers
[_i.e._, Alders,] he chanced to hap upon a boy who began to quarrel
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