Posted on 12/04/2006 12:22:50 PM PST by FLOutdoorsman
The 500-year-old death records from Lamplugh which revealed some peculiar demises.
Forget knife-carrying hoodies, people in the mid-17th century had far more dangerous opponents to worry about... such as spirits and fairies.
Also, pitchforks, stools or even a trusty frying pan were the weapons of choice when it came to street fights, a newly unearthed burial register has shown.
The document reveals the deeply superstitious – and often brutal – side of life in Oliver Cromwell's England.
Covering deaths from 1656 to 1663 – the manuscript reveals no less than four people were 'Frighted to Death by faries' while another died after being 'Led into a horse pond by a will of the whisp'.
A further seven people died after becoming 'bewitched' – and three 'old women' were drowned after being tried for witchcraft.
While most of the deaths recorded in the Cumbrian parish of Lamplugh were due to old age, drunken duels claimed two lives in bizarre fashion.
One man died in a battle 'fought with frying pan and pitchforks' while a second brawl involving a 'three-footed stool and a brown jug' accounted for another.
Also dangerous was 'Mrs Lamplughs cordial water', which accounted for two deaths.
The manuscript is not dated or signed, but experts studied the writing and concluded it was written in the mid-1700s.
It is based on the burial register from a century earlier, which has been lost, but would have been kept by the local rector.
Archivists in Cumbria came across the document recently in their archives in Whitehaven, as part of a national campaign to highlight the treasures to be found in local history.
Archivist Anne Rowe said: 'These were insecure social times and many folk in the 17th century would have been scared of fairies and will o' the wisps.
'Many a natural death would have been put down to the evil witchcraft of a harmless old widow.'
THOSE DEATHS IN FULL:
Deaths taken out of the Register of Lamplugh from Janry ye 1 1656 to Janry ye 1 1663
* On a five bar gate, stag hunters: 4
* Two Duels, first fot [fought] with frying pan and pitchforks: 1
* Second between a 3 footed stool and a brown jug: 1
* Kild [killed] at Kelton fell raices [races]: 3
* Knocked on the head at Cockfight: 2
* Crost [crossed] in love: 1
* Broke his neck robbing a hen roost: 1
* took cold sleeping at Church: 11
* hanged for clipping and coyning: 7
* of a sprain in his shouldr by saving his dog at bul bate [bull bait]: 1
* Mrs Lamplughs cordial water: 2
* Knocked on ye head with a quart bottle: 1
* Frighted to Death by faries: 4
* Of strong October at the hall: 14
* Bewitched: 7
* Broke a vein in bawling for a knight of ye shire: 1
* Old women drowned upon trial for witchcraft: 3
* Climbing a crows nest: 1
* Led into a horse pond by a will of the whisp: 1
* Over eat himself at a house warming: 1
* Died of a fright in an Excersise of ye traind bands: 1
* By the Parsons bull: 2
* Vagrant beggars worried by Esqr Lamplughs housedog: 2
* Choked with eating barley: 4
* Old age: 57
* Vagrant beggars worried by Esqr Lamplughs housedog: 2
* Mrs Lamplughs cordial water: 2
A quibble: they're not "500 year old records" if they're from 1656-1663....
I was thinking the same thing.
"Huh?"
Guess they didn't get many trained bands in those parts. Maybe it was sort of like horses dying of fright over locomotives back in the 1800's. It does sound funny though, "Ye trained bands? Ye trained BANDS?!!! AIIEEEEE!!!" thud.
More than one teacher was killed by irate, styli-wielding students.
(another factoid from the Utterly useless bits of data department)
LOL!
"And what havoc would a weak October wreak?"
Say THAT three times fast!
Oddly enough, I was wondering about that just a few days ago...I suppose he then went on to discuss long S's that look like lower-case Fs?
She sells sea shells by the sea shore?
Why do I think it was drained out of a bottle or jug?
Man, gotta watch that cordial water.
These are terrific.
"She sells sea shells by the sea shore?"
How many boards could the Mongols hoard, if the Mongol hordes got bored?
That was one strong October !
"Train band" = town militia company.
LOLOL!!
"town militia company"
Oh well, that makes more sense I guess, but it's not nearly as amusing.
It would have been a warm bitter!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.