Notes from "An Evening's Entertainment" by M.R. James, Part 2

3 Years Later...

September, at dawn in the woods, the young man is found dead:
- hung from the neck from the biggest and eldest oak tree
- wearing a white gown
+ mockery of a church surplice? "Not the same in the fashion of it"
- around his neck is a chain with a metal pendant, wheel-shaped and old-looking
+ a solar cross?
- beside him is a hatchet covered in blood

Horse had to be blindfolded before it would carry the body
- rears and throws body off onto the ground as they approached the cottage
- the body was carried into the living room of the cottage

On the long table in the center of the room lay Mr. Davis
- table is longer than a man
- Mr. Davis is dead
+ eyes covered with cloth
+ arms tied behind back
+ feet bound with another band
+ breast is bare and split through the bone with an axe

In the cupboards of the cottage they found:
- a quantity of herbs
- jars with liquors
+ some of which are "drinks to put a person to sleep"

"And they had little doubt that wicked young man had put some of this into Mr. Davis' drink, and then used him as he did, and, after that, the sense of his sin had come upon him and he had cast himself away."

Papers and writings were found in the drawers and cupboards
- prove them guilty of idolatry "by their own hand"
- fear that there were others
+ calls to repent, lest the same happen
- the writings were burnt

Notes from "An Evening's Entertainment" by M.R. James, Part 3

Burial (several days after discovery of the bodies)
- could not take place in a churchyard
- 12 men, plus Mr. White (the parson)
- 2 biers and 2 large pieces of rough black cloth
- at the crossroads, there was another group of men, waiting with torches
- and a large pit was dug there
- the men entered with their hats on their heads
+ 4 took the 2 bodies and put them on the biers, covered with cloths
+ all were silent during this time
- bodies were cast into the dug pit, covered with stones and earth
- Mr. White spoke after, crowd was silent
- a mist or light hung about for a long time after

The Next Day
- blood that had fallen out of Davis' body onto the lane is now covered with flies
- flies are enormous and motionless
- flies were dispersed by application of hallowed earth
- flies moved in a cloud towards the cottage
+ "Lord of flies, sir"

"[the squire] made up his mind [that] no one was going to live in that cottage again, or yet use any of the things that were in it: so, though it was one of the best in the place, he sent round word to the people that it was to be done away with, and anyone that wished could bring a faggot to the burning of it; and that's what was done. They built a pile of wood in the living-room and loosened the thatch so as the fire could take good hold, and then set it alight; and as there was no brick, only the chimney-stack and the oven, it wasn't long before it was all gone."

(The chimney eventually fell down by itself)

Ghost of Davis and companion seen
- the young man in the woods
- the two of them where the cottage had been, going along the lane
- seen especially during Spring and Autumn

Infestation of black flies on the lane
- not of any specific species
- flies have an extremely toxic bite
- only after 4 generations is the infestation beginning to die out

"'When the sun's gathering his strength, and when he's in the height of it, and when he's beginning to lose his hold, and when he's in his weakness, them that haunts about that lane had best take heed to themselves.'"
- interpreted to mean not to go into the lane when the sun is growing stronger or weaker (Spring and Autumn)

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Spring: Beltane (May Day) and Ostara (Spring Equinox)

Autumn: Mabon (Fall Equinox) and Halloween