The hob-men who were to be found in various spots in Yorkshire were fairly numerous around Pickering.  There seem to have been two types, the kindly ones, such as the hob of Hob Hole in Runswick Bay who used to cure children of whooping-cough, and also the malicious ones.  Calvert gives a long list of hobs but does not give any idea of their disposition.

Lealholm Hob. 
Hob o’ Trush. 
T’Hob o’ Hobgarth,
Cross Hob o’ Lastingham. 
Farndale Hob o’ High Farndale. 
Some hold Elphi to have been a hob of Low Farndale. 
T’Hob of Stockdale. 
Scugdale Hob. 
Hodge Hob o’ Bransdale. 
Woot Howe Hob. 
T’Hob o’ Brackken Howe. 
T’Hob o’ Stummer Howe. 
T’Hob o’ Tarn Hole. 
Hob o’ Ankness. 
Dale Town Hob o’ Hawnby. 
T’Hob o’ Orterley. 
Crookelby Hob. 
Hob o’ Hasty Bank. 
T’Hob o’ Chop Gate. 
Blea Hob. 
T’Hob o’ Broca. 
T’Hob o’ Rye Rigg. 
Goathland Hob o’ Howl Moor. 
T’Hob o’ Egton High Moor.

The Hob of Lastingham was presumably named after the cross above the village, and not on account of his disposition.

Elphi we have seen had an excellent reputation and some eulogistic verses on him, written in a “cook book” and signed J.L., 1699, give further evidence of his good character.

Elphi bandy legs, Elphi little chap,
Bent an wide apart, Thoff he war so small
Neea yan i, this deeal [dale], War big wi deeds o’ kindness,
Awns a kinder heart.  Drink tiv him yan an all. 
Elphi great heead Him at fails ti drain dry,
Greatest ivver seen.  Be it mug or glass
Neea yan i’ this deeal Binnot woth a pescod
Awns a breeter een.  Nor a buss fra onny lass.

About the middle of the eighteenth century the people of Cropton were sadly troubled by “a company of evil water elves having their abode in a certain deep spring at the high end of that village,” and in order to rid themselves of the sprites, a most heathen ceremony was conducted at the spring, “three wenches” taking a prominent part in the proceedings which are quite unprintable.

[Illustration:  RELICS OF WITCHCRAFT FOUND IN THE NEIGHBOURHOOD OF PICKERING.

The little figure shown in the centre is made of pitch, beeswax, bullock’s blood, hog’s lard, and fat from a bullock’s heart.  It was used for casting spells or people, the pin being stuck in the figure wherever the “ill-cast” was required to fall.  The magic cube and ring are made of similar ingredients to the figure.  The sigils or charms are made of lead. ]

Belief in the power of the witches and wise men was universal, and youths and maidens applied to the nearest witch in all their love affairs.  The magic cube, the witches’ garter, leaden charms known as sigils, and the crystal were constantly in use to secure luck, to ward off evil and to read the future.

One of the witches was believed to have fallen out with the Devil for, says Calvert, “John Blades, ironmonger of Kirby Moorside, tells me he well minds hearing of a despert fierce fight which on a time did happen between ye Devil and an old witch over their dues, over anenst Yaud Wath (ford) and whilst they did so fight, one by stealth did slip himself over and in that wise did for ever break her spell.”