12CI HISTOHV <)l 



that he was an impostor, asserting that they were 

 certified of their brother's death : to prove his 

 identity, he said that the needle would be found in 

 a certain place, and as a further proof he named a 

 particular tree into which he had driven the harrow 

 tooth. The needle was found, and when they 

 followed him to the orchard, he removed the bark 

 which had grown over the iron, and showed it to 

 the sisters: notwithstanding he was forcibly ejected 

 from the premises, and it is said that he was flog- 

 ged with a whip, in which large pins were fixed, 

 as an additional punishment of his supposed im- 

 l)Osture. He was received into a neighbouring 

 cottage by the inhabitants, who had known him 

 before he went abroad, and were satisfied of his 

 identity ; he remained here for some time ; but 

 having gone out one day, he was missed, and 

 never returned. Although his fate was surmised, 

 no clue could be obtained to what had become of 

 him ; and this mysterious event was constantly 

 talked of by the country, and successively handed 

 down from father to son ; to this cause also the 

 common people, fond of the marvellous, have 

 assigned the decay of the family, as being under a 

 curse, which had once beenof tliehigliest respect- 

 ability; the estates liave long been sold, and the 



