The whole group was in the Docks Lookout Inn (Thomas [Kevin], Roma [Chris], Elrick [Ian], Sean [Shane], Baron [Deacon] and his wife Orla, Eileen, and Brigid, and the wounded Art [Jeff].) Ab Siddy [Darryl] was staying in the TTTT cart in the stables.
Art was still badly wounded from the Fallis outlaws attack of two days' ago, so the plan was for the group to stay in Corke to heal him back to 100%. This would take a week. [ scratch=15mins; wound=1 day; severe wound=1 week ]
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| Colonel Cholmondeley |
Later that day, some soldiers arrived from the New Fort. Colonel Cholmondeley (commander of the English forces in Corke), had invited Sean for luncheon. So, encouraged by the group to get info on the Witch-finder, Sean reluctantly went with them.
It was a sordid meal, but between gropes, fondles and unwelcome forays to his nether regions, Sean quizzed the Colonel and his adjutants about the military's connection to the Witch-finder. The Witch-finder and his soldiers were under tacit control the Church, so there was not much interaction between the groups. The Witch-finder was formerly with the Catholics, but after the Henry VIII schism, and like the Archbishop of Armagh, he managed to straddle the religious fence and represent both the Church of Ireland and the Catholics: "Witches come in all flavours" Galatians 5:20.
Sean politely declined the offer for a massage and a lavender bath.
Sun 29-Jun
It was a quiet night.
At mid-morning, another patrol of English soldiers came for Sean again; another luncheon invitation. Esther met them this time, and Sean managed to avoid them seeing him, but they were most insistent that, when Sean turned up, that he was to report to the Colonel.
Sean got Esther to teach him how to swim. His plan was to get out of Corke and away from the handsy Colonel, so he jumped into the Lee, next to the Inn wharf, and used his new swim skills in an attempt to swim for the Water gate. But, like the futile attempt by Art a few weeks ago, it was a sad and pathetic attempt indeed; he managed three feeble strokes before he started flailing and breathing water. He grabbed hold of the wharf ladder, coughing and spluttering, and pulled himself up.
Then, with gritty tenacity, he made one further attempt; but this was even worse. Esther was watching the drowning fiasco with growing concern (or was it contempt?); she had to fish him out with a boat-hook.
So, Sean took some of his share of the party funds, about five shillings [$6000 in today's money], and sought out one of the Corke whore houses. Here, he spent up large to be entertained and, more importantly, housed by the ladies. This would keep him away from the prying eyes of the Colonel's soldiers
Around midday, two different soldiers came into the inn. They were dressed in the grey and white livery of the Witch-finder. They went to the counter where Esther was on duty.
"Looking for the TTTT. They are staying here?"
Esther glanced over at Elrick and Eileen, then back to the soldiers.
"Yes, but they are all out."
"I see. Tell them his lordship wants to see them," one muttered. He added: "And they better not to leave town." Then they left.
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| Roma's rubbish trinkets |
So Roma set up a stall (cost one shilling) selling pikey rubbish trinkets on the street near the entrance to the Witch-finder's tower, so that he could keep a weather-eye eye on the place. This was a tall black imposing building near the South gate.
Mon 30-Jun
It was a quiet night.
Roma left first light to get back to his stall near the Witch-finder's tower. Just as he arrived, a squad of eight soldiers in Witch-finder livery, heavily armed, came jogging down the road and rushed past him. Roma carefully followed them.
The soldiers burst into the Docks Lookout Inn, at all three doors, and into the stables, simultaneously. They first rounded up the half-awake Elrick and Thomas, and broke down Art's door and hauled him out of his sick bed. And grabbed Baron, too, from his bridal suite and startled wife Orla.
They were led by a Captain Henri of French descent: "Heez Lordsheep wants a word."
Ab Siddy slept in the TTTT wagon in the stables. When the soldiers burst in, he used his Camouflage ability, and scurried up into the rafters.
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| stocks |
At the Witch-finder's residence, they were summarily beaten, then put in standing stocks and left for a couple of hours, bent over.
Captain Henri and some of the guards idly questioned them, asking about the rest of the group.
A bit later, the room went cold. A figure in a black robe drifted in. This was the Witch-finder himself.
He started with Thomas, but was more interested in the exploits of the TTTT than serious questions. Apparently, he had been to a show. He finished with "Why do we hold an Englishman?"
So, Thomas was released.
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| The Witch-finder (Corke Tourism Board) |
Next was honest Elrick. A few questions later, Erick was released.
The Witch-finder was looking for Ab Siddy and Roma, of course, the two witches who murdered little boys in Baltimore, and used their blood for witchcraft and deviltry.
He seemed to know all about Art's AWOL, and of Baron's connection with the Baltimore soldiers. Baron was originally tasked from Captain Carmichael of the Baltimore barracks to catch up to the group, and then report them to Sergeant Ken Tucky at Bandon Bridge. Apparently, Carmichael was even more furious about this treachery than Art's AWOL. Art would be flogged for his crimes, but Baron was scheduled to be hanged. But, the Witch-finder was not connected with the military, so he wasn't going to turn them over.
He was also interested in the party's encounters and experience with the sidhe.
Art and Baron were housed in the "Apartment" for the night. This was a cell, of course, but it did have a pallet bed. The Witch-finder had a nun on retainer: Sister Margaret. She fed the two prisoners a watery gruel, and tended their bruises and wounds from the severe beatings.
Tue 1-Jul
An hour after dawn, Captain Henri went into the cell. He told Art and Baron that the Witch-finder had decided to let them go (had the Colonel interceded after all?), but would be sending Sister Margaret to travel and stay with the group. Her mission was to find any sign of the witches Ab and Roma, and would report regularly. Should she go missing, it would not go down well. Besides, who would dare to harm a nun?
The TTTT wagon (and horses) was returned too, but it had been gone over with a fine-tooth comb, the Pig Peeker and the Spanish snaphance muskets had been confiscated.
Sean returned from the whores with one doxy in tow, which he had hired to be his wife. Accompanied with this new "wife", Sean went and saw the Colonel for luncheon. The presence of the girl certainly helped parry the Colonel's strongest and most insistent advances, and Sean had a delicious lunch; it only cost a few well-meaning gropes. This helped to ameliorate the Colonel's interest in Sean.
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