‘Surprising discovery of a murder’
Cate Ludlow, an editor at the History Press, has kindly donated the following story for Uncanny UK. It comes from the ‘Terrific Register’, one of the best-known of the so-called Penny Dreadfuls. Cate has been compiling excerpts from this particular Penny Dreadful and republishing them in volumes such as ‘The Book of Murder’ and ‘The Book of Wonders’. A ‘Book of Ghosts’ is in preparation. The following tale concerns the well-known phenomenon of the corpse candle (in Welsh, canwyll cyrff).
So many authentic narratives have been given concerning the Welch lights, that none but the sceptical or incredulous can call their existence in question. These are candles or torches, which are sometimes seen over the house of the sick, and are always sure prognostics of death. They have likewise been seen on other extraordinary occasions, as well appear from the following account, the truth of which is known to many in the north of Wales, where this remarkable event came to pass.
A farmer happening to be overtaken by a violent storm of hail and rain, near the hut of a poor la
bourer, who lived not far from Rhytwin in North Wales, stopped at it, in order to take shelter. The storm continuing, the labourer offered the farmer a bed, which the latter, being very much fatigued, gladly accepted. No sooner was the farmer fast asleep, but the labourer, who conjectured that he must have a considerable sum of money about him, murdered his guest, and taking the money, which amounted to twenty pounds, buried the body on a rising ground behind the hut; and early the next morning went off to Bristol.
The hut was soon after taken by another labourer, who late in the evening after observed a light, which settled constantly on the same spot on the eminence; sometimes there appeared two together, which after blazing a considerable time, suddenly disappeared, and left him filled with terror and consternation. He apprehended that this appearance signified that he was soon to die, and in the anxiety of mind, he imparted what he had seen to three of his acquaintances at Rhytwin, and begged that they would go with him to his hut that evening, that their own eyes might convince them of the truth of what he told them, as they seemed backwards to give credit to an account so extraordinary.
They accordingly went with him to the hut, and after waiting some time, saw, with astonishment, a light settle over the rising ground, and in about ten minutes disappear. They were greatly puzzled to guess at the meaning of this; when at last one of them recollected, that the night before Morgan (that was the name of the murderer) left the country, he happened to pass his hut, and saw a traveller enter.
This circumstance made him form a suspicion that a murder had been committed; he therefore advised to dig up the rising ground, at the place over which the light had appeared. This was accordingly done, and the body being quickly found, put murder out of all manner of doubt. Those who had found the body deposed all they knew concerning it before a magistrate at Rhytwin. The coroner sat upon it, and brought in his verdict, ‘Wilful Murder.’
As Morgan had been seen at Bristol by some of the inhabitants of Rhytwin, after he left Wales, two constables were dispatched to that city in quest of him. Being taken, he was brought back to Rhytwin, and tried at the ensuing assizes, where there appeared such strong circumstances that he was condemned to die. He however persisted in making the strongest asseverations of his innocence, and kneeling down in open court, prayed to God that his legs might rot off if he was guilty of the murder.
Between the time of his sentence and execution, they in fact rotted off a little below the knees. The hand of God was so visible in this judgement, that the criminal confessed his guilt, and was executed, pursuant to his sentence. This extraordinary event, which happened in the year 1627, may be depended upon as authentic.
The series of ‘Tales from the Terrific Register’ edited by Cate Ludlow are published in hardback by the History Press, rrp £9.99.
Tags: canwyll cyrff, canwyllau cyrff, corpse candle, death omens, Ghost exposes murder, ghost lights, haunted Wales, murderer brought to justice by ghost, North Wales ghosts, Terrific Register
