In a MS. of the late Rev. Mr. Gough, of Shrewsbury, it is related, that
one Thomas Elkes, of Middle, in Shropshire, being guardian to his eldest
brother’s child, who was young, and stood in his way to a considerable
estate, hired a poor boy to entice him into a corn field to gather
flowers, and meeting them, sent the poor boy home, took his nephew in
his arms, and carried him to a pond at the other end of the field, into
which he put the child, and there left him. The child being missed, and
inquiry made after him, Elkes fled, and took the road to London; the
neighbours sent two horsemen in pursuit of him, who passing along the
road near South Mims, in Hertfordshire, saw two ravens sitting on a cock
of hay making an unusual noise, and pulling the hay about with their
beaks, on which they went to the place, and found Elkes asleep under the
hay. He said, that these _two ravens_ had followed him from the time he
did the fact. He was brought to Shrewsbury, tried, condemned, and hung
in chains on Knockinheath.
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