n
Charringworth and Campden, where they were told by one Daniel, that Mr.
Harrison called at his house the evening before, in his return from
Charringworth, but stayed not. Then they went to Paxford, about half a
mile from thence, where hearing nothing of Mr. Harrison, they returned
towards Campden. And on the way hearing of a hat, band and a comb, taken
up on the highway between Ebrington and Campden, by a poor woman then
leasing [gleaning] in the field, they sought her out. With her they
found the hat, band and comb, which they knew to be Mr. Harrison's; and
being brought by the woman to the place where she found the same, in the
highway between Ebrington and Campden, near unto a great furze-brake,
they there searched for Mr. Harrison, supposing he had been murdered,
the hat and the comb being hacked and cut, and the band bloody, but
nothing more could there be found. The news hereof coming to Campden, so
alarmed the town that the men, women and children hasted thence in
multitudes to search for Mr. Harrison's supposed dead body, but all in
vain.

Mrs. Harrison's fears for her husband were now much increased, and
having sent her servant Perry the evening before to meet his master, and
he not returning that night, caused a suspicion that he had robbed and
murdered him. Thereupon the said Perry was the next day brought before a
Justice of the Peace; by whom being examined concerning his master's
absence, and his own staying out the night he went to meet him, gave
this account of himself. That his mistress sending him to meet his
master, between eight and nine o'clock in the evening, he went down
Campden Field towards Charringworth about a land's length,[107] where
meeting one William Read of Campden, he acquainted him with his errand,
and farther told him that as it was growing dark he was afraid to go
forwards, and would therefore return and fetch his young master's horse
and return with him; he went to Mr. Harrison's court gate, where they
parted. He stayed till one Pierce coming by, he went again with him
about a bow's shot into the fields, and returned with him likewise to
his master's gate, where they also parted; and the said John Perry
averred that he went into his master's hen-roost, where he lay about an
hour, but slept not, but when the clock struck twelve, arose and went
towards Charringworth, until a great mist arising, he lost his way, and
so lay the rest of the night under a hedge. At break of day on Frida