The men came to something which had the appearance of having once been linen. Conscious of their situation, they instantly buried it again. In a few days they all sickened of a putrid fever, and three of the five died. The disorder was contagious and proved mortal to numbers of the inhabitants. Notwithstanding this authority, there could not have happened such a circumstance without other corroborative evidence.
Tradition knows nothing of the matter, and the mortality of that year was only ordinary.
Miss Seward was undoubtedly misinformed. On this occasion, the desolation of Eyam in 1666, was the theme of the whole village. This benefice was presented to him by his friend and patron, Sir George Saville. A small house or hut was, therefore, erected for him in Rufford Park, where he resided in seclusion until their fears died away. One man on his journey unthinkingly let it slip that he came from Eyam, on which he was greatly abused and driven back with his horses unladen.