This was the first Time Mother Haggy became suspected, and it was the Opinion of the Wisest of the Parish, that they should Petition the King to send her to be try'd for a Witch by the Presbytery of Scotland. How this past off I cannot tell, but certain it is, that some of the Great Ones of the Town were in with her, and 'tis said she was Serviceable to them in their Amours: She had a Wash that would make the Skin of a Blackamore as white as Alabaster, and another, that would restore the Loss of a Maidenhead, without any Hindrance of Business, or the Knowledge of any one about them. She try'd this Experiment so often upon her Daughter Haggite, that more than Twenty were satisfy'd they had her Virginity before Marriage.
She soon got such a Reputation all about the Country, that there was not a Cow, a Smock, or a silver Spoon lost, but they came to her to enquire after it; All the young People flock'd to have their Fortunes told, which, they say she never miss'd. She told Haggite's Husband, he should grow Rich, and be a Great Man, but by his Covetousness and Griping of the Poor, should come to an ill End. All which happen'd so exactly, That there are several old Folks in our Town, who can remember it, as if it was but Yesterday.
She has been often seen to ride full gallop upon a Broom-Stick at Noon-Day, and swim over a River in a Kettle-Drum. Sometimes she wou'd appear in the Shape of a Lioness, and at other times of a Hen, or a Cat; but I have heard, could not turn herself into a Male Creature, or walk over two Straws across. There were never known so many great Winds as about that Time, or so much Mischief done by them: The Pigs gruntled, and the Screech-Owls hooted oftner than usual; a Horse was found dead one Morning with Hay in his Mouth; and a large overgrown Jack was caught in a Fish-Pond thereabouts with a silver Tobacco-Box in his Belly; several Women were brought to Bed of two Children, Some miscarry'd, and old Folks died very frequently.
These Things could not chuse but breed a great Combustion in the Town, as they call it, and every Body certainly had rejoyc'd at her Death, had she not been succeeded by a Son and Daughter, who, tho' they were no Conjurers, were altogether as terrible to the Neighbourhood. She had two Daughters, one of which was marry'd to a Man who went beyond Sea; the other, her Daughter Haggite, to Avaro, whom we shall have Occasion to mention in the Sequel of this Story.
There liv'd at that Time in the Neighbourhood two Brothers, of a great Family, Persons of a vast Estate and Character, and extreamly kind to their Servants and Dependants. Haggite by her Mother's Interest, was got into this Family, and Avaro, who was afterwards her Husband, was the Huntsman's Boy. He was a Lad of a fine Complexion, good Features, and agreeable to the fair Sex, but wanted the Capacity of some of his fellow Servants: Tho' he got a Reputation afterwards for a Man of Courage, but upon no other Grounds, than by setting the Country Fellows to Cudgelling or Boxing, and being a Spectator of a broken Head and a bloody Nose.
There are several authentic Accounts of the Behaviour of these Two, in their respective Stations, and by what Means they made an Advancement of their Fortunes. There are several Relations, I say, now extant, that tell us, how one of these great Brothers took Avaro's Sister for his Mistress, which was the Foundation of his Preferment, and how Haggite, by granting her Favours to any one who would go to the Expence of them, became extreamly Wealthy, and how Both had gain'd the Art of getting Money out of every Body they had to do with, and by the most dishonourable Methods. Never perhaps, was any Couple so match'd in every Thing as these, or so fit for one another: A Couple so link'd by the Bonds of Iniquity, as well as Marriage, that it is impossible to tell which had the greatest Crimes to answer for.
It will be needless to relate the Fortune of the Brothers, who were their Successive Masters, and the Favours they bestow'd on them. It is sufficient that the Estate came at last to a Daughter of the younger Brother, a Lady, who was the Admiration of the Age she liv'd in, and the Darling of the whole Country, and who had been attended from her Infancy by Haggite.
Then it was Avaro began his Tyranny; he was entrusted with all the Affairs of Consequence, and there was nothing done without his Knowledge. He marry'd his Daughters to some of the most considerable Estates in the Neighbourhood, and was related by Marriage to one Baconface, a sort of Bailiff to his Lady. He, and Baconface and Haggite got into Possession, as it were, of their Lady's Estate, and carry'd it with so high a Hand, were so haughty to the Rich, and oppressive to the Poor, that they quickly began to make themselves odious; but for their better Security, they form'd a sort of Confederacy with one Dammyblood, Clumzy their Son-in-Law, Splitcause an Attorney, and Mouse a noted Ballad-Maker, and some others. As soon as they had done this, they began so to domineer, that there was no Living for those who would not compliment, or comply with them in their Villany. Haggite cry'd, Lord, Madam, to her Mistress, It must be so; Avaro swore, By G——d, and Baconface shook his Head, and look'd dismally. They made every Tenant pay a Tax, and every Servant considerably out of his Wages toward the Mounding their Lady's Estate, as they pretended, but most part of it went into their own Pockets. Once upon a Time, the Tenants grumbling at their Proceedings, Clumzy, the Son-in-Law, brought in a Parcel of Beggars to settle upon the Estate. Thus they liv'd for some Years, till they grew Richer than their Mistress, and were, perhaps, the Richest Servants in the World: Nay, what is the most Remarkable, and will scarcely find Belief in future Ages, they began at last to deny her Title to the Estate, and affirm, she held it only by their Permission and Connivance.
Things were come to this pass, when one of the Tenants Sons from Oxf——rd preach'd up Obedience to their Lady, and the Necessity of their Downfall, who oppos'd it. This open'd the Eyes of all the honest Tenants, but enrag'd Avaro and his Party, to that Degree, that they had hir'd a Pack of Manag'd Bull-Dogs, with a Design to bait him, and had done it infallibly, had not the Gentry interpos'd, and the Country People run into his Assistance. These, with much ado, muzled the Dogs, and petition'd their Lady to discard the Mismanagers, who consented to it.
Great were the Endeavours, and great the Struggles of the Faction, for so they were call'd, to keep themselves in Power, as the Histories of those Times mention. They stirr'd up all their Ladies Acquaintance to speak to her in their behalf, wrote Letters to and fro, swore and curs'd, laugh'd and cry'd, told the most abominable and inconsistent Lyes, but all to no Purpose: They spent their Money, lavish'd away their Beef, Pudding, and October, most unmercifully, and made several Jointed-Babies to shew for Sights, and please the Tenants Sons about Christmas.