i68 RECORDS OF OLD TIMES 



appeared that witchcraft was still believed in, as at 

 Cambridge a farmer was punished for throwing a 

 witch into the water, and otherwise maltreating her. 

 In Ireland the law was put in force against Anne 

 Lawler for bewitching John Keating, but before any 

 proofs could be commenced the witch escaped. 

 These circumstances seemed to be remnants of the 

 previous century, as on March ii, 1618, two women, 

 of the name of Flower, were burnt at Lincoln for the 

 alleged crime of witchcraft, on their own confession ; 

 they were condemned by the Chief Justice of the 

 Common Pleas, Sir John Hobart. Witchcraft, 

 combined with astrology, often gave rise to tales of 

 remarkable occurrences, which were traced to the 

 former heinous crime, as I find on May 16, 1669, 

 'a fiery drake' had been seen near Thame. It 

 appeared to be as long as All Saints' steeple at 

 Oxford. It made the place light enough to read by, 

 gave a report, and vanished into sparkles. It used 

 occasionally to visit Aylesbury Gaol the night before 

 the assizes, and was called 'the Wat.' It would 

 then make its appearance like a small flame, and the 

 unfortunate person who saw it, looked forward to 

 certain death. Why Aylesbury Gaol should be so 

 distinguished does not appear. 



