NORTHERN (ENGLAND); Group 2: WESTMORELAND.
The following extract is from a remarkable tract entitled _A Bran
New Wark, by William De Worfat_; Kendal, 1785. The author was the
Rev. William Hutton, Rector of Beetham in Westmoreland, 1762-1811, and
head of a family seated at Overthwaite (here called Worfat) in that
parish. It was edited by me for the E.D.S. in 1879.
Last Saturday sennet, abaut seun in the evening (twas lownd and
fraaze hard) the stars twinkled, and the setting moon cast
gigantic shadows. I was stalking hameward across Blackwater-mosses,
and whistling as I tramp'd for want of thought, when a noise struck
my ear, like the crumpling of frosty murgeon; it made me stop short,
and I thought I saw a strange form before me: it vanished behint a
windraw; and again thare was nought in view but dreary dykes, and
dusky ling. An awful silence reigned araund; this was sean brokken
by a skirling hullet; sure nivver did hullet, herrensue, or miredrum,
mak sic a noise before. Your minister [_himself_] was freetned, the
hairs of his head stood an end, his blead storkened, and the haggard
creature moving slawly nearer, the mirkiness of the neet shew'd her
as big again as she was.
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