Spirit of Old Essex draws together Arthur Morrisonâs lost treasure of a novel âCunning Murrellâ, a jocular tale of witchcraft, old salts, pugilists, smuggling and country life long lost, together with additional background information on Morrisonâs research and inspiration. âCunning Murrellâ is a fictionalized biography of James Murrell, also known as Cunning Murrell, who was an English cunning man, or professional folk magician. In this capacity, he reportedly employed magical means to aid in healing both humans and animals, exorcising malevolent spirits, countering witches, and restoring lost or stolen property to its owner.