Among the records of other mediæval superstitions,
are many curious details of the “invocation of spirits” to aid the searchers after “Treasure Trove,” as it was called. In the days when “banking” was unknown, wealth oftentimes accumulated in the hands of its owners, to a degree that rendered its safe keeping a perilous task; and in very early ages it would seem to have been a common practice to commit it to the bosom of mother earth, until such time as its owner might have need of it. The changes wrought upon the land by the several conquests that succeeded the departure of the Romans, the reputed depositors of these hidden treasures, caused the ownership to be forgotten and obscure, and by degrees all such property became the right of the crown; and to conceal any discovery of it was made an act of felony, at first punishable by death, but afterwards subjecting the perpetrator only to a pecuniary fine.
It seems, however, that in the sixteenth century, it was customary to grant licenses to individuals, to engage in the search after these hidden stores of precious stones, metal, or coins; also permission to invoke the aid of spirits in their pursuit. Among many other quaint stories upon the subject, two especially connected with the localities in this neighbourhood claim attention here: the first is the confession of William Stapleton, a monk in the abbey of St. Bennet in the Holm, addressed to Cardinal
Wolsey, and many very curious illustrations it gives of the superstitious feeling of the time; the other is that of Sir Edward Neville, who was arraigned, tried, and executed for high treason, as an accomplice of Cardinal Pole, in the thirtieth year of Henry the Eighth. The extracts are taken from the papers of the Norfolk Archæological Society.
Stapleton seems to have been an idle monk, often punished “for not rising to matins, and doing his duty in the church, which led to his desire to purchase a dispensation.” Being too poor to do so at once, he obtained six months’ license to obtain the means, and set about searching for “Treasure Trove,” by the help of some books on Necromancy, which had been previously lent to him. After some rambles about the county, he says, “I went to Norwich, and there remained by the space of a month, and thence to a town called Felmingham, and one Godfrey and his boy with me, which Godfrey had a “shower,” called Anthony Fular, and his said boy did “scry” unto him (which said spirit I had after myself); but notwithstanding as we could find nothing, we departed to Norwich again, where we met one unbeknown to us, and he brought us to a man’s house in Norwich, where he supposed we should have found treasure, whereupon we called the spirit of the treasure to appear—but he did not, for I suppose of a truth there was none there.”
Stapleton goes on to say that, failing in his efforts, he borrowed money to buy his dispensation of “his Grace” to be a hermit, and then went to the “diggings” again. He was then informed that one Leech had a book to which the parson of Lesingham had bound a spirit, called Andrew Malchus; “whereupon,” he says, “I went to Leech concerning the same, and upon our communication he let me have all his instruments to the said book, and shewed me that if I could get the book that the said instruments were made by, he would bring me to him that should speed my business shortly. And then he shewed me that the parson of Lesingham and Sir John of Leiston, with other to me unknown, had called up of late Andrew Malchus, Oberion, and Inchubus. And when they were all raised, Oberion would not speak. And the then parson of Lesingham did demand of Andrew Malchus why it was. And Andrew Malchus made answer, it was because he was bound to the Lord Cardinal. And they did entreat the parson of Lesingham to let them depart at that time, and whensoever it should please them to call them up again, they would gladly do them any service they could.
“And when I had all the said instruments, I went to Norwich, where I had remained but a season, when there came to me a glazier, which, as he said, came from the Lord Leonard Marquess, for to search for one that was expert in such business. And thereupon
one Richard Tynny came and instanced me to go to Walsingham with him, where we met with the said Lord Leonard, the which Lord Leonard had communicated with me concerning the said art of digging, and thereupon promised me that if I would take pains in the exercising the same art, that he would sue out a dispensation for me that I should be a secular priest, and so would make me his chaplain. And, for a trial to know what I could do in the same art, he caused his servant to go hide a certain money in the garden, and I showed for the same. And one Jackson ‘scryed’ unto me, but we could not accomplish our purpose.
“Sir John Shepe, Sir Robert Porter, and I, departed to a place beside Creke Abbey, where we supposed treasure should be found. And the said Sir John Shepe called the spirit of the treasure, and I showed to him; but all came to no purpose.
“And then there came one Cook of Calkett Hall, and showed me that there was much money about his place, and in especial in the Bell Hill, and desired me to come thither; and then I went to Richard Tynny, and showed him what the said Cook had said, whereupon Tynny brought me to one William Rapkyn, took me the book that the Duke’s Grace of Norfolk of late took away from me; which Rapkyn said to me that forasmuch as I had all the instruments that were made for the said book, and if I could get