178 THE WITCH IN KENT 



one only of degree. "I says to him," remarked a 

 woman to me not long ago who had been having a 

 difference with her son on the subject, " I says to him, 

 * Doant you blef your Book^ then ? You knowd the 

 Book says as there were witches ; yes, and wizards 

 too ; and as it was in the beginning, it says, it is now 

 and ever shall be.' " 



Many were the evils laid at the door of Mother 

 Becket, who, as the folk will tell you, " did just lead 

 them sad lives as she used to terrify." For witches 

 (and the reflection is not without comfort) have not 

 the power of terrifying — i.e. troubling — everybody ; 

 their power is limited. It was a real relief to the 

 afflicted when Mother Becket retired to a neighbour- 

 ing almshouse, where, a very old woman, she is living 

 still. Before her retirement, however, while she was 

 still able to get about, one of her victims found 

 release in the following manner. The malevolence 

 of this witch displayed itself in the death or illness of 

 the cattle, poultry, or other animals of those who had 

 incurred it, and one day — but let the writer's infor- 

 mant speak for himself. " Faather, he used to take 

 in ship for Mr. Smith. One day when he comes in 

 to breakfast he says to mother, he says, ' Mother, Mr. 

 Smith's black ship has got just a pretty little lamb j I ^ 



