Among the most famous
ghost-laying parsons was Reverend Jago of Wendron, of
whose spells it was said "no spirit walking this
earth could resist them." By his prayers and
powers many a night-wanderer was put back to his
grave and so confined that the poor ghost could never
go free again.
Throughout his long
life, Parson Jago rode far and wide over the wild
moorlands of his parish, never taking a groom with
him since the moment he alighted from his horse he
had only to strike the earth with his whip and a
demon servant was there to hold his horse.
About a quarter of
a mile from Wendron at a certain crossroads a suicide
named Tucker had been buried in accordance with the
custom of the time. Passing this dreaded spot one
night, a drunken farmer returning from Helston market
cracked his whip and shouted lustily: "Arise,
Tucker!" Upon this, it is said, the ghost arose
and firmly fixed itself on the saddle behind the
farmer.
Not daunghted, the
foolhardy drunkard repeated the experiment on other
occasions. At length, the spirit became so
"familiar that it refused to leave the farmer,
and eventually the farmer was obliged to go to
Reverend Jago to remove it.
