56 WITCHCRAFT IN DORSET. 



To TREBLE MONEY : 



The following account, taken from a London paper, appeared in 

 the Dorset County Chronicle in 1882* : "On the 23rd December 

 a dairyman left home for a market held in the neighbourhood o^ 

 Bridport, his wife remaining in charge of the dairy. On returning 

 home he found his wife agitated and apparently unwell. She 

 simply complained of slight indisposition, which continued till the 

 following Saturday (30th ult.). During the morning the dairyman 

 went to his cash box, which was kept in a bedroom, and at once 

 missed between <3 and <4. The wife was at first reticent on the 

 matter, but ultimately confessed that a couple of women (strangers) 

 had promised her, during his absence on the previous Saturday, 

 that for a few shillings they would convert any amount of gold to 

 treble its value by Easter Sunday next, provided they were allowed 

 to trace the planets upon the coins and then secrete them 

 about the premises ; but on no account were they to be touched 

 before Easter Sunday, or the planets would be unpropitious and 

 visit the house with affliction. The dairyman, in spite of these 

 protestations, forced from his wife the knowledge that the money 

 was hanging in the chimney. He there found a semi-smoked 

 heart, evidently that of a pig or a sheep. It was tightly encased 

 in wrappings of scarlet and black material. A number of crosses 

 and other emblems formed of projecting pins covered it completely 

 on one side. On opening it, the cavity of the heart was found to 

 contain several farthings, which had been brightened by some rough 

 substance. It is believed the strangers were travelling gypsies, but 

 at any rate they have absconded the richer by several pounds." 



I need only add, and I trust my request will not be weakened 

 by distance, that if any Dorset friend would kindly supplement 

 this paper with any instances or illustrations of witchcraft that 

 have come under his or her notice in the county, either by sending 

 them to me or, which would be better perhaps, by sending them to 

 the Dorset County Chronicle (I shall see them in course of time), I 

 shall be very grateful. 



* See also a similar account in Folk Lore Journal for Oct., 1883. 



