BEDINGHAM, DITCHINGHAM & THE FARMS 27 



what one Abraham Fleming says on the subject, or rather a short 

 extract from his voluminous report : 



'This Black Dog or the Divel in such a likeness (God hee 

 knoweth all who worketh all) running all along down the body of 

 the Church with great swiftness and incredible haste among the 

 people, in a visible forme and shape, passed between two persons as 

 they were kneeling on their knees and occupied in prayer as it 

 seemed, wrung the necks of them bothe at one instant clene back- 

 ward, insomuch that even in a moment where they kneeled they 

 stra'gely died. This is a wonderful example of God's wrath, no 

 doubt to terrfie us, that we might feat him for his justice, or 

 putting back our footsteps from the paths of sin, to love him foi 

 his mercy.' 



After this the Black Dog, pursuing his violent career, gave 

 another member of the congregation ' such a gripe in the back 

 that therewithall he was presently drawn togither and shrunk up, 

 as it were a piece of lether schorched in a hot fire ; or as the 

 mouth of a purse or bag drawn togither with a string.' 



Next the Dog went up to the roof, where he greatly alarmed 

 the clerk, who was cleaning out the gutter, and so away. * O Lord,' 

 ends the worthy but credulous Fleming, l how wonderful art Thou 

 in all Thy works.' Wonderful indeed ! Still, there is some truth in 

 the story, since the registers of St. Mary record that in this year 

 ' John Fuller and Adam Walker slayne in the tempest, in the bel- 

 fry in the tyme of prayer, upon the Lord's Day, ye nth of August.' 



To return to the Bath Hills, from which I have wandered a full 

 mile. Beyond the site of the Earl's Vineyard and the kitchen 

 garden of the Lodge are some acres of woodland. This, which has 

 for many years been the constant haunt of trespassers, boys bird- 

 nesting, foot passengers escaping into it from the muddy right of 

 way above, poachers seeking pheasants' eggs, and amorous couples, 

 I have now enclosed with a veritable fortification of the strongest 

 and most prickly barbed wire that money will buy, whereby I hope 

 to abate the nuisance. My chief object, however, is to keep 

 the place perfectly quiet, so that it may become the home of all 



