138 A HISTORY OF LONGRIDGE. [Chap. 6. 



" Bartholomew Taylor, of the same, hath known Vavasor frequently 

 say mass at the house where lives Bartholomew Taylor.'" 



There are two traditions respecting the old hall which cannot well 

 be passed over. It appears that at Hothersall Hall the devil had 

 undertaken to oblige some inhabitant with whatever he should com- 

 mand in return for a surrender of the daleman's soul when it left the 

 earth. He had been allowed three wishes — what they were is not 

 recorded— but one thing that the Hothersall gentleman had asked for 

 was a rope from the sands of the River Eibble, which was close at 

 hand. In case of failure his Satanic Majesty had consented to be laid 

 under one of the laurel trees growing in the valley. 



The devil and mate then went to the strand, 

 In a jiffey they twisted a fine rope of sand, 

 And dragged it along with them over the laud ; 

 But when they brought the rope to be washed. 

 To atoms it went — the rope was all smashed ! 



As the rope was not satisfactorily completed, the "man of Hothersall" 



escaped the devil's clutches, and the dark gentleman was buried, 



according to agreement, under one of the trees in the valley. 



Mr. Wilkinson, referring to the Hothersall HaU boggart, says " it 



is understood to have been ' lai(P under the roots of a large laurel 



tree at the end of the house, and will not be able to molest the family 



BO long as that tree exists. It is a common opinion in that part of the 



country that the roots have to be nourished with milk on certain 



occasions, in order to prolong its existence, nnd also to preserve the 



power of the spell imder which the gobUn is laid." The laurel here 



seems to have been invested with the mythical properties of the ash 



and rowan trees — 



Rowan, ash, and red thread 



Keep the devils frae their speed. 



It is also stated by Mr. Wilkinson that " it is a common practice with 

 the housewives in this district to tie a piece of red worsted thread 

 round their cows' tails previous to turning them out to grass for the 

 first time in the spring. It secures their cattle, they say, from an evil 

 eye, from being elfshot by fairies, etc." 



It is some time since, I ought to add, these tales were believed in. 

 Now, no one pays any heed to the Hothersall boggart. 



>MS. V. 1. 



