I 



Wiltshire Quarter Sessions. 29 



Cowper was not to be seen at Netherhaven from that time until about half a 

 yeere after." 



Cowper afterwards re-appearing : — 



" Upon a horse like (in colour) to the aforesaid horse that was stolen . • . 

 Eobt Harte .... required the constable to make search for the said 

 Will''- Cowper in his saied house, but the saied constable {being delated for want 

 of candle light) could not find hime, onely he founde a bedd out ofw"'^ (by all 

 likelihood) one had freshly gone forth, and a strange bridle and saddle in the 

 stable very suspiciously. After w'='^ time the saied "William Cowper was seen no 

 more in Netherhaven by the space of a yere or twoe." 



Yet Cowper himself affected to be a tiller of the soil, and despite 

 his prolonged intervals of absence from home his land yielded crops 

 in unaccountable abundance; so that when, in time of harvest, 

 men rose and went afield, they saw this idler's acres standing thick 

 with sheaves while theirs were poorly furnished. They thus explain 

 the phenomenon : — 



" Ite' at harvest last was twelvemoneth many sheaves of wheate were taken 

 out of other mens landes in Netherhaven's feild by night Whereupon the feild 

 being vewed certaine land w'''^ the said Will™ Cowper had sowen that yeere was 

 found to be f arr more replenished w*'^ sheaves then any other, in w'^'^ his landes 

 divers of the said sheaves that were taken out of other mens landes were found 

 by such apparent markes as could not be gainsaied." 



At the Easter Sessions, 1605, there was tried a charge of theft 

 of swine out of the common field near a bridge called Stony Bridge, 

 at Chippenham. 



At the Easter Sessions, 1606, may be read : — 



" A Note of the misdemeanors and ill earriage 



of Eichard Dysmer and Alfi-ed Dysmer 



. . . . against Eichard Wylmotte 



" Item the saide Eichard Willmott hath heretofore lost many Ducks and the 



said Eichard Dysmer hath spightfully Kylled two of them (viz* ) the one on 



Christmas day last and the other on St Steven's days foUowinge .... att 



w''^ tyme the said Dysmer beinge charged therew'*' replyed he woulde kyll all 



the dueks and geese .... and any other thinge that the saide Wylmot 



have if they come into his barton which Barton adjoyneth to the common and 



hath noe gate. 



" Item the saide Eichard Wylmotte .... att harvest last had a sowe 

 worth xij' thrust in w^ii a pyke and the saide Dysmers have Kylled dyvers other 

 piggs of the said Wylmotte." 



