‘The Dæmon of Tedworth.’
‘THE DÆMON OF TEDWORTH.[7]
‘Master _John Mompesson_, of _Tedworth_ in _Wiltshire_, being about the
middle of _March_, in the year 1661, at a neighbouring Town, called
_Ludgarshal_, heard a _Drum_ beat there, and being concerned as a
_Commission Officer_ in the _Militia_, he enquired of the _Bayliffe_ of
the Town, at whose House he then was, what it meant. The Bayliffe told him
that they had for some dayes been troubled by that _Idle Drummer_, who
demanded money of the Constable, by virtue of a pretended pass, which he
thought was counterfeit. Upon this Information Master _Mompesson_ sent for
the fellow, and ask’d him by what _Authority_ he went up and down the
Countrey in that manner, demanding money, and keeping a clutter with his
_Drum_? The _Drummer_ answered he had good _Authority_, and produced his
pass, with a warrant under the hands of Sir _William Cawly_ and Colonel
_Ayliffe_ of _Gretenham_. These papers discover’d the knavery, for M.
_Mompesson_ knowing those Gentlemen’s hands, found that his pass and
warrant were _forgeries_; and upon the discovery, commanded the _vagrant_
to put off his _Drum_, and charged the Constable to carry him to the next
_Justice_ of _Peace_, to punish him according to the desert of his
_Insolence_ and _Roguery_. The fellow then confest the _cheat_, and begg’d
earnestly for his _Drum_. But M. _Mompesson_ told him that if he
understood from Colonel _Ayliffe_, whose _Drummer_ he pretended to be,
that he had been an honest man, he should have it again; but in the
interim he would secure it. So he left the _Drum_ with the Bayliffe, and
the Drummer in the Constable’s hands; who, it seems, after, upon intreaty,
let him go.
‘About the midst of _April_ following, when M. _M._ was preparing for a
Journey to _London_, the Bayliffe sent the _Drum_ to his house; and, being
returned, his wife told him that they had been much affrighted in the
night by _Thieves_, during his absence; and that the House had like to
have been broken up. He had not been at home above three nights, when the
same noise returned that had disturbed his Family when he was abroad. It
was a very great _knocking_ at his Doors, and the out side of his House.
M. _M._ arose, and with a brace of Pistols in his hands, went up and down
searching for the cause of the Disturbance. He open’d the door, where the
great knocking was, and presently the noise was at another. He opened that
also, and went forth, rounding his House, but could discover nothing; only
he still heard a strange noise and hollow sound; but could not perceive
what was the occasion of it. When he was returned to his Bed, the noise
was a _Thumping_ and _Drumming_ on the top of his House, which continued a
good space, and then by degrees went off into the Air.
‘After this _It_ would come 5 nights together, and absent itself 3.
Knocking very hard at the out-sides of the House, which is most of it, of
Board. This _It_ did, constantly, as they were going to sleep, either
early or late. After a month’s racket without, _It_ came into the room
where the _Drum_ lay, where _It_ would be 4 or 5 nights in 7, making great
hollow sounds, and sensibly shaking the Beds and Windows. _It_ would come
within half an hour after they were in Bed, and stay almost two. The sign
of _Its_ approach was an _hurling_ in the Air over the House; and at _Its_
recess they should hear a _Drum_ beat, like the breaking up of a Guard.
_It_ continued in this Room for the space of two months; the Gentleman
himself lying there to observe _It_: and though _It_ was very troublesome
in the fore part of the night, yet, after two hours disturbance, _It_
would desist, and leave all in quietness: At which time perhaps the Laws
of the _Black Society_ required _Its_ presence at the general _Rendezvous_
elsewhere.
‘About this time the Gentleman’s Wife was brought to Bed; the noise came a
little that night she was in Travail, but then forbore for three weeks
till she had recover’d strength. After this _civil cessation_, it return’d
in a _ruder_ manner than before, applying wholly to the younger children;
whose Bedsteads _It_ would beat with that violence that all present would
expect, when they would fall in pieces. Those that laid their hands upon
them, could feel no blows, but perceived them to shake exceedingly. _It_
would for an hour together beat, what they Call ROUNDHEADS and
CUCKOLDS--the Tattoo, and several other Points of Warre, and that as
dextrously as any Drummer. After which _It_ would get under the Bed, and
scratch there as if _It_ had Iron Tallons. _It_ would lift the children up
in their Beds, follow them from one room to another; and, for a while,
applied to none particularly but them.
‘There was a Cock-loft in the House which had been observed hitherto to be
untroubled; thither they removed their children, putting them to bed while
it was fair day: and yet they were no sooner covered, but the _unwelcome
Visitant_ was come, and played his tricks as before.
‘On the 5th of _Novemb. 1662_. _It_ kept a mighty noise, and one of the
Gentleman’s Servants observing two Boards in the children’s room that
seemed to move, he bade _It_ give him one of them, and presently the Board
came within a yard of him. The Fellow added, _Nay, let me have it in my
hand_: upon which it was shuft quite home. The man thrust it back, and the
Dæmon returned it to him, and so from one to another at least 20 times
together, till the Gentleman forbad his servant such _Familiarities_. That
morning _It_ left a _Sulphurous smell_ behind _It_, very _displeasant_ and
_offensive_.... At night the Minister of the place, Mr. _Cragge_, and many
of the Neighbours came to the House--and went to prayer at the Children’s
Bed-side, where, at that time _It_ was very troublesome and loud. During
the time of _Prayer_ _It_ with-drew into the Cock-Loft, but, the Service
being ended, _It_ returned; and in the sight and presence of the company,
the _Chairs_ walked about the Room, the Children’s Shooes were thrown over
their heads, and every loose thing moved about the Chamber; also a Bed
staffe was thrown at the _Minister_, which hit him on the Leg, but so
favourably, that a lock of Wooll could not have fallen more softly. And a
circumstance more was observed, viz., that it never in the least roul’d,
nor mov’d from the place where it lighted.
‘The Gentleman perceiving that _It_ so much persecuted the little
Children, lodg’d them out at a Neighbour’s House, and took his eldest
daughter, who was about 10 years of Age, into his own Chamber, where _It_
had not been in a month before. But no sooner was she in Bed, but the
troublesome Guest was with her, and continued his unquiet visits for the
space of three weeks, during which time _It_ would beat the Drum, and
exactly answer any Tune that was knock’d, or called for. The House where
the Gentleman had lodged his Children, being full of Strangers, he was
forced to take them home again; and, because they had never observed any
disturbance in the Parlor, he laid them there, where also their old
Visitant found them; but, at this time, troubled them no otherwise than by
plucking them by the hair and night-cloathes.
‘_It_ would sometimes lift up the Servants with their Beds, and lay them
down again gently, without any more prejudice than the fright of being
carried to the _Drummer’s_ quarters. And at other times _It_ would lie
like a great weight upon their Feet.
‘’Twas observed, that when the noise was loudest, and came with the most
_suddain_ and _surprizing violence_, yet no Dog would move. The Knocking
was oft so boysterous and rude, that it hath been heard at a considerable
distance in the Fields, and awakened the Neighbours in the Village, none
of which live very near this house.
‘About the latter end of _Decemb. 1662_. the _Drummings_ were less
frequent, and the noise the _Fiend_ made, was a _gingling_, as it had been
of money, occasioned, as ’twas thought, by some discourse of an antient
Gentlewoman, Mother to M. _M._ (who was one day saying to a Neighbour that
talked of _Fairies leaving money_, that she should like _It_ well, if _It_
would leave them some to make amends for the trouble _It_ made them) for
that night there was a great _chinking_ of money all the house over; but
he that rose earliest the next morning, was ne’re a groat the richer.
After this _It_ desisted from its _ruder noises_, and employed _It_ self
about little _apish_ Tricks, and less troublesome _Caprichios_. On
_Christmas Eve_, an hour before day, one of the little Boyes arising out
of his Bed, was hit on a sore place in his Heel by the latch of the Door,
which the _waggish Dæmons_ had pluckt out and thrown at him. The Pin that
fastened it was so small, that ’twas for the credit of his _Opticks_ that
he pick’t it out without Candle-light. The night after _Christmas Day_,
_It_ threw all the old Gentlewoman’s Cloaths about the Room, and hid her
_Bible_ in the Ashes. In such _impertinent ludicrous fagaries_, it was
frequent. After _this_ the _Spirit_ was very troublesome to a Servant of
M. _Mompesson’s_, who was a stout fellow, and of sober conversation....
His Master permitted him to give this proof of his courage, and lodg’d him
in the next room to his own. There was _John engarrison’d_, and provided
for the assault with a trusty Sword, and other implements of War. And, for
some time, there was scarce a night past without some doubty action and
encounter, in which the success was various. One while, _John’s_ bag and
baggage would be in the enemy’s _power_, _Doublet_ and _Breeches_
surprized, and his Shooes raised in _rebellion_ against him; and then
_lusty John_ by _Dint_ of Weapon recovers all again, suppresseth the
_insurrection_ of his _Shooes_, and holds his own in spight of _Satan_ and
the _Drummer_. And for the most part, our combatant came off with honour
and advantage, except when his enemy outwatch’d and surprized him, and
then he’s made a prisoner, bound hand and foot, and at the mercy of the
_Goblin_; till he hath got the opportunity of recovering his _Diabolical
Blade_, and then our Champion is in good plight again....
‘About the beginning of Jan. 1662 they were wont to hear a _singing_ in
the _chimney_, before _It_ came down. And one night, about this time,
Lights were seen in the House: One of which came into M. _Mompesson’s_
Chamber, which seemed _blue_ and _glimmering_, and caused a great
stiffness in their eyes that saw it. After this light, something was
heard coming up the Stairs, as if it had been some one without Shooes. The
light was also 4 or 5 times seen in the Children’s Chamber; and the Maids
confidently affirm that the doors were at least ten times opened, and shut
in their sight. They heard a noise at the same time when the Doors were
opened, as if half a dozen had entred in together. After which, some were
heard to walk about the room, and one rusled as if it had been in silk.
The like M. _M._ himself once heard.
‘During the time of the Knocking, when many were present, a Gentleman of
the company said, _Satan_, If the _Drummer_ sets thee a work, give three
Knocks, and no more, which _It_ did very distinctly, and stopt. Then the
Gentleman knockt, to see if _It_ would answer him as _It_ was wont, but
_It_ remained quiet. He further tryed _It_ the same way, bidding _It_, for
confirmation, if _It_ were the _Drummer_, to give 5 Knocks and no more
that night, which _It_ did accordingly, and was silent all the night
after. This was done in the presence of Sir _Tho. Chamberlain_ of
_Oxfordshire_ and several others.
‘On _Saturday_ morning, Jan. 10. an hour before day, the _Drum_ was beaten
upon the out-sides of M. _Mompesson’s_ Chamber, from whence _It_ went to
the other end of the House, where some Gentlemen, Strangers, lay, playing
at their door, and without, 4 or 5. several Times, and so went off into
the Air.
‘The next night, a Smith of the Village lying with _John_, they heard a
noise in the room, as if one had been shooing of a horse there; and
somewhat came, as it were, with a pair of _Pincers_, and snipt at the
Smith’s Nose, most part of the Night.
‘One morning M. _Mompesson_ rising early to go a Journey, heard a great
noise below, where the Children lay, and, running down, with a Pistol in
his hand, heard this voice, _A Witch, A Witch_, as they had also heard it
once before; but, upon his entrance, all was quiet. Having, one night
played some little pranks at M. _Mompesson’s_ Bed’s feet, _It_ went into
another Bed, in which one of his Daughter’s lay, where _It_ passed from
side to side, and lifted her up, as _It_ went under her. At that time
there were three kindes of noises in the Bed. They endeavoured to thrust
at _It_ with a _Sword_, but _It_ very carefully avoided them, still
skipping under the Child, when they were ready to thrust. The night after,
_It_ came _panting_ like a Dog out of breath; upon which one took a
Bed-Staff to knock, which was taken out of her hand, and thrown away with
some violence. Upon this the company came up, and, presently, the room was
filled with a _bloomy noysome_ smell, and was very _hot_; though without
Fire, and in midst of a very _sharp_ and _severe_ winter. _It_ continued
in the Bed, panting and scratching an hour and half, and then went into
the next Chamber, where it knock’d a little, and seemed to rattle a chain.
Thus it did for two or three nights together.
‘After this, the old Gentlewoman’s Bible was found in the Ashes open, the
paper side being downwards. M. _Mompesson_ took it up, and observed that
it lay open at the third chapter of S. _Mark_, in which there is mention
of the _unclean spirits falling down before our Saviour_; of his _giving
power to the 12 to cast out Devils_, and of the _Scribes’_ opinion, that
he _cast them out through Beelzebub_. The next night they strewed ashes
over the Chamber, to see what _impressions_ _It_ would leave. And in the
morning, found in one place the resemblance of a great Claw, in another,
of a lesser; some Letters in another, which they could make nothing of;
besides many _Circles_ and _Scratches_ in the Ashes; all which, I suppose,
were _ludicrous_ devices, by which the _sportful Dæmon_ made _pastime_
with human _Ignorance_ and _Credulity_.
‘About this time, my[8] curiosity drew me to the House, to be a witness of
some of those strange passages. _It_ had ceased from _It’s_ pranks of
_Drumming_, and _ruder noises_, before I came; but most of the more
remarkable circumstances before related were confirmed to me there, by
several of the Neighbours together, who had been present at them. At that
time _It_ used to haunt the Children; I heard _It_ scratch very loudly and
distinctly in their Bed, behind the Boulster. I thrust in my hand to the
place where the noise seemed to be, upon which It withdrew to another part
of the Bed; and, upon the taking out of my hand, _It_ returned as before.
I had heard of _It’s_ imitating noises, and therefore made the trial, by
scratching certain determinate times upon the Sheet, as 5. and 7. and 10.
which _It_ did also, and still stopt at my number. After a while _It_
went into the midst of the Bed, under the Children, and there _panted_
like a Dog, very loudly. I put my hand upon the place, and felt the Bed
bear up against it, as if something had thrust it up; but, by grasping,
could feel nothing but the Feathers: and there was nothing under it. The
motion _It_ caused by this _panting_ was so strong, that it shook the
Rooms and Windows. _It_ continued thus for more than half an hour, while I
stayed, and as long after. I was certain that there could be no _fallacy_
nor _deceit_ in these passages, which I critically examined; and I am sure
there was nothing of _fear_ or _imagination_ in the case; for I was no
more concerned than I am at the Writing this Relation.
‘But to proceed with M. _Mompesson’s_ own particulars.
‘There came one morning a light into the Children’s Chamber, and the
voice, crying, _A Witch, A Witch_, for at least an hundred times together.
M. _M._ seeing at a time some Wood move that was in the Chimney, when no
one was near, discharged a Pistol into it; after which they found several
drops of Blood on the Hearth, and in divers places of the Stairs.
There was a seeming _calm_ in the House for 2 or 3 nights after the
discharge of the Pistol; but then _It_ came again, applying _Itself_ to a
little Child, newly taken from Nurse; which it so persecuted, that _It_
would not let the poor Infant rest for two nights together, nor suffer a
Candle in the Room, but would carry them away up the _Chimney_, or throw
them under the Bed. _It_ so scared this Child by leaping upon it, that
for some hours, it could not be recovered out of the fright. Insomuch as
they were inforced again to remove the Children out of the House. The next
night, after they were gone, something about midnight came up the Stairs,
and knockt at M. _Mompesson’s_ door; but he, lying still, _It_ went up
another pair of Stairs, to his Man’s Chamber, to whom _It_ appeared,
standing at his Bed’s foot. The exact shape and proportion he could not
discover; but saw a great body, with two _red_ and _glaring_ eyes, which
for some time were fixt steddily upon him, and, at length, disappeared.
‘Another night, Strangers being present, _It_ purr’d in the Children’s Bed
like a _Cat_; and at that time the Cloaths and Children were lift up from
the Bed, and 6 men could not keep them down. Upon this they removed them
from thence, intending to have ript open the Bed: but they were no sooner
laid in another, but this second Bed was more troubled than the former.
_It_ continued thus 4 hours, and so beat the Children’s legs against the
Bed-posts, that they were forced to arise, and sit up all night. After
this _It_ would empty Chamber-pots into their Beds, and strew them with
Ashes; and that though they were never so carefully watch’t, _It_ put a
long piked Iron into M. _Mompesson’s_ Bed, and, into his Mother’s, a naked
Knife upright. It would fill porringers with Ashes, throw every thing
about, and keep a noise all day.
‘About the beginning of April 1663. a Gentleman that lay in the house had
all his money turn’d black in his Pockets. And M. _Mompesson_, one
morning, coming into his Stable, found the Horse he was wont to ride, on
the ground, with one of his hinder Legs in his mouth, and so fastned
there, that ’twas difficult work for several men, with a Leaver, to get it
out. After this there were some other remarkable things; but my _account_
goes no farther: Only M. _Mompesson_ told me, that afterwards the house
was several nights beset with 7 or 8 in the shape of men, who, as soon as
a Gun was discharged, would shuffle away together into an Arbour.
‘THE DRUMMER was tryed at the _Assize_ at _Salisbury_, condemned to the
_Islands_, and was, accordingly, sent away: but I know not how, made a
shift to come back again. And ’tis observable, that during all the time of
his restraint, and absence, the House was in quiet; but, as soon as ever
he came back, the disturbance also returned. He had been a Souldier under
CRUMWEL, and used to talk much of gallant Books he had of an odd Fellow’s,
who was counted a Wizard.’