Free Republic

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...