Stainsby (let not my readers be alarmed, for witches and warlocks are out of fashion in this unimaginative, or sceptical, age) has not been without its supernatural associations. I here give a colloquy held, not many months ago, with a quondam resident. (J. C. W. loquitur. F. C. respondet). “Well, C., did you ever hear of a ghost at Stainsby?” “Aye, that I did, mony a year sin’. When I were young, I lived i’ them parts, and I heard o’ one oftens.” “Did you ever see it yourself?” “Noa, I never seed it me-sen, but I knowed several as did.” “Where was it seen?” “Why, i’ mony places.” “Tell me one or two.” “Well, it were seen about Stayensby, haaf a mile afore ye come to Somersby, and it were seen about the esh-planting (notice the ‘esh,’ the old Danish pronunciation still surviving, the Danish for Ashby being Eshe-by), just afore ye go down to the brig o’er the beck.” “Can you name anyone who saw it?” “O, many on ’em, specially gean the brig.” “Name someone.” “Well, a waggoner living at Bag Enderby.” “What was it like?” “Well, a misty kin’ o’ thing. Ye could make nayther heead nor taal on it, only ye knew it was there, and it flitted unaccountable.” {7} I will here give a few extracts from old documents connected with former owners, which may be of interest from their peculiarity, or otherwise. John Gedney, of Bag Enderby, in his will, dated 14 June, 1535, mentions his lands in Ashby Puerorum and other parishes. Margaret Littlebury, widow of Thos. Littlebury, Esq., of Stainsby, by her will, of date 2 January, 1582, requests that she may be buried in the Church of Ashby Puerorum, “near unto my husband.” She bequeaths to the poor of the parish, as also of Greetham, Salmonby, Somersby, Bag Enderby, and Hagg, the lease of the Parsonage of Maidenwell; a sheepwalk there to her sons George and Edward; to her daughter Anne, wife of Thomas Grantham, £10 (N.B.—The Granthams still survive); to her daughter, Elizabeth Fitzwilliam (a good family), £10; to her daughter, Katherine Wythornwyke, £5; to Thomas Dighton, son of Christopher Dighton, deceased (a family connected with several parishes), £10; “to Francis Atkinson, my warrener, 20s.” (“warrener” probably equivalent to gamekeeper). She refers to a schedule of plate, etc., bequeathed by her late husband to his deceased son, Humphrey, to be handed over to his son Thomas. She was a daughter of John St. Paul, of Snarford.