of Dulverton, in the county of Somerset) to Captain William Dyke,
(late of Skilgate in this county also, and now likewise deceased)
be pleased to take the relation of it from a worthy and learned
gentleman, Dr. Thomas Dyke, a near kinsman of the captain’s, thus:
Shortly after the major’s death, the doctor was desired to come
to the house to take care of a child that was sick there; and in
his way thither he called on the captain, who was very willing to
wait on him to the place, because he must, as he said, have gone
thither that night, though he had not met with so encouraging, an
opportunity. After their arrival there at the house, and the civility
of the people shewn them in that entertainment, they were seasonably
conducted to their lodging, which they desired might be together
in the same bed; where, after they had lain a while, the captain
knock’d, and bid the servants bring him two of the largest and
highest candles lighted he could get; whereupon the doctor enquires
what he meant by this? The captain answers, “You know, cousin, what
disputes my major and I have had touching the being of God, and the
immortality of the soul; in which points, we could never yet be
resolved, though we so much sought for and desired it. And therefore
it was at length fully agreed between us, that he who of us died
first, should, the third night after his funeral, between the hours
of twelve and one, come to the little house which is here in the
garden, and there give a full account to the survivor, touching
these matters, who should be sure to be present there at the set
time, and to receive a full satisfaction. And this (says the captain)
is the very night, and I am come on purpose to fulfil my promise.”
The doctor dissuaded him, minding of the danger of following strange
counsels, for which he could have no warrant; and that the devil
might, by some cunning device, take such an advantage of this rash
attempt, as might work his utter ruin. The captain replies, “That he
had solemnly engaged, and that nothing should discourage him;” and
adds, “That if the doctor would wake a while with him, he would thank
him, if not, he might compose himself to rest; but for his own part,
he was resolved to watch, that he might be sure to be present at the
hour appointed.” To that purpose he sets his watch by him, and as
soon as he perceived by it that it was half past eleven, he rises,
and, taking a candle in each hand, goes out by a back door, of which
he had before gotten the key, and walks into the garden-house, where
he continued two hours and a half, and at his return, declared that
he neither saw nor heard any thing more than what was usual. But I
know, said he, that my major would surely have come had he been able.
About six weeks after, the captain rides to Eaton, to place his son
a scholar there, when the doctor went thither with him. They lodged
there at an inn, the sign whereof was Christopher, and tarried two
or three nights, not lying together now as before at Dulverton, but
in two several chambers. The morning before they went thence, the
captain stayed in his chamber longer than he was wont to do, before
he called upon the doctor. At length he comes into the doctor’s
chamber, but in a visage and form much differing from himself,
with his hair and eyes staring, and his whole body shaking and
trembling. Whereat the doctor wondering, presently demanded, “What
is the matter, cousin captain?” The captain replies, “I have seen my
major.” At which the doctor seeming to smile, the captain confirms
it, saying, “If ever I saw him in my life, I saw him but now.” And
then related to the doctor what had passed thus: “This morning after
it was light, some one comes to my bed side, and suddenly drawing
back the curtains, calls, Captain, captain, (which was the term of
familiarity that the major used to call the captain by;) to whom I
replied, What, my major?” To which he returns, “I could not come at
the time appointed, but I am now come to tell you, That there is a
God, and a very just and terrible one; and if you do not turn o’er a
new leaf (the very expression, as the doctor punctually remembered,)
you shall find it so.” The captain proceeded: “On the table by there
lay a sword, which the major had formerly given me. Now, after the
apparition had walked a turn or two about the chamber, he took up the
sword, drew it, and finding it not so clean and bright as it ought,
“Captain, captain,” (says he) this sword did not use to be kept
after this manner when it was mine.” After which words he presently
disappeared.
The captain was not only thoroughly persuaded of what he had thus
seen and heard, but was from the time observed to be very much
affected with it. And the humour, which before in him was brisk and
jovial, was then strangely altered; in so much as very little meat
would pass down with him at dinner, though at the taking leave of
friends, there was a very handsome treat provided. Yea, it was
observed, that what the captain had thus seen and heard, had a more
lasting influence upon him; and it was judged by those who were
well acquainted with his conversation, that the remembrance of this
passage stuck close to him; and that those words of his dead friend
were frequently sounding fresh in his ears, during the remainder of
his life, which was about two years.
IX.—_A remarkable story of discovered witchcraft at Lauder_, anno
1649. _And of the wiles which the devil used in deceiving poor
creatures._
In the beginning of the year 1649, a common report passing up and
down in all men and women’s mouths, of an eminent warlock, whose
name was Robert Grieve, _alias_ Hob Grieve, trafficking in these
parts of the country, and deceiving many simple people. He was at
last discovered, apprehended, and imprisoned at the town of Lauder:
and after long shifting and denial, wherein he had learned of his
hellish master to be most subtile, by the great goodness of God he
was at length brought to a serious acknowledgement of his guilt,
and confession of his being the devil’s officer in that country,
for warning all Satan’s vassals to come to the meetings where, and
whensoever, the devil required, for the space of eighteen years and
more. He acknowledged also, That his wife (who twenty years, or
thereabout, before, was burnt at Lauder,) was the occasion of his
coming into that snare; for they being poor, and having little or
nothing to live upon, he began to grudge under that condition, and
to complain of his lot; which his wife perceiving, desired him not
to be troubled, but shewed him, that if he would follow her counsel,
she should acquaint him with a gentleman who would teach him a way
how to become rich. To which motion he hearkened, and at her desire
went down with her to a haugh on Galawater, near to the Stow, where
she trysted the gentleman; and when they had come to that place,
and tarried a considerable space, seeing nobody, he began to weary,
and told her, that he would be gone; but she pressing him to stay,
and assuring him that the gentleman would not fail her. At length
their came a great mastiff bigger than any butcher’s dog, and very
black, running upon him, which put him into such a confusion, and
astonishment of spirit, as that he knew not where he was; but his
wife laboured to comfort him under that consternation, assuring him,
that the gentleman would come presently and perform what she had
promised him.
And accordingly, in a short space, the devil appeared in the shape
of a Black Man, and fitting his discourse to the man’s temptation,
made many promises to him, That if he would become his servant and
obey him, he would teach him ways how to be made much of in all
the country; unto which demand of the devil he acknowledged, that
he consented, not so much for any hopes for future riches, as for
fear lest he should instantly be devoured by him, (for he suspected
in the very mean time it was the devil) and then he gave him that
charge to be his officer to warn all to the meetings, (as was said
before) in which charge he continued for the space of eighteen years
and more, until he was apprehended. He was most ingenuous in his
confession. An evidence whereof was this, “That there was neither man
nor woman delated by him, but were all confessors when apprehended,
and confronted with him, and died confessing. One instance whereof
is remarkable, and worthy of observation, which is this—After he
had delated many, and as many of those were apprehended as the
prison could conveniently contain, and the keepers attend, he gave
up another woman in the town of Lauder, whose name the magistrates
resolved to conceal for a time, till the prison should be emptied
of some of those who were already apprehended, and had confessed;
and accordingly secrecy was engaged unto. But the devil came that
same night unto her, and told her, “That Hob Grieve had blamed her
for a witch; but assured her, that if she would rise up and go and
challenge him for it, and never come away till he and she were
confronted, that then he would deny it. Whereupon she arose and
came to the prison window, and railed upon Hob Grieve, calling him
warlock, and slave to the devil, and all evils which her mouth could
utter; and when desired to get home by the centinels, and also by
the magistrates, she sat down upon the tolbooth stair, and said,
“She could never go to her house till she and that slave of the
devil were confronted. Whereupon the bailie came to the preacher,
desiring him to come and speak to her, to desire her to go home, for
there was none accusing her, who accordingly came, and entreated
her to go home; but she obstinately refusing to go, till she should
be confronted with that rascal, who had declared her, an honest
woman, for a witch. The bailie was constrained to grant her desire.
Whereupon many being present as witnesses, she was conveyed up to
prison, to the room where Hob Grieve was. And as soon as she was come
in sight, she fell down upon her knees, and began to scold the man,
and accuse him of a lie, in speaking of her name. Says she, “Thou
common thief, how dare thou for thy soul say, that ever before this
time, thou saw me or I saw thee, or ever was in thy company, either
alone, or with others.” All which language he heard very patiently,
till he was desired by the bailie to speak. Whereupon he asked her,
How she came to know, that he had delated her for a witch? For (says
he) surely none but the devil, thy old master, and mine, has told
thee so much. She replied, “The devil and thou perish together, for
he is not my master, though he be thine; I defy the devil and all his
works.” Whereupon he says to her, “What needs all this din? Dost thou
not know, these many years I have come to thy house, and warned thee
to meetings, and thou and I have gone along together?” And thereafter
he condescended to her upon several places, and actions done in these
places by her and others; “to all which, I am, (said he) a witness.”
By this she was so confounded, that immediately, in the presence of
the bailie, the preacher, the schoolmaster, and many witnesses, she
cried out, “Oh now (says she) I perceive that the devil is a liar, a
murderer from the beginning; for this night he came to me, and bid me
come and abuse thee; and he assured me, thou would deny all, and say,
thou false tongue thou lied. And she with many tears confessed, that
it was all truth which he had said, and prayed the minister, that he
would entreat God for her poor soul, that she might be delivered out
of the hands of the devil. Under this confession she continued even
unto the day of her death.
Another evidence of ingenuity in him was this: That after five or
six men and women whom he had delated, were also convinced and had
confessed their witchcraft, he earnestly desired, “That he and they
might be taken to the church on the Lord’s day, to hear the word of
God;” which being granted, and they conveyed with a guard to the
church, all of them sat down before the pulpit. The preacher lectured
on these words, Mark ix. 21. “And oft-time it hath cast him into
the fire, and into the water to destroy him,” &c. The father of the
lunatic child complained to Christ of the devil’s cruelty towards his
son. And the preacher briefly noted this observation from the words,
“That whatever the devil did to such as he had gotten any power over,
his aim and end was always to destroy the poor creature both soul
and body.” This truth being seriously applied, and spoken home by
the preacher to the said Hob Grieve, and the rest of the confessing
Witches and Warlocks, they were all immediately so confounded, that
all of them cried out with a lamentable noise, “Alas I that is a
most sure truth; Oh, what will become of us, poor wretches! Oh, pray
for us.” But Hob Grieve especially bare witness to that sad truth,
by a general declaration, in the face of the congregation, he had
experience of the truth, thereof. “For (said he) there is no trusting
to his promises; for in Musselburgh-water, when I had a heavy creel
upon my back, he thought to have drowned me there; and since I came
into prison, he did cast me into the fire to destroy me, as is well
known to the preacher and magistrates of the place and many others;
and concluded with an exhortation to all to beware of the devil.
“For whatever he saith or doth, his purpose is to destroy you, and
that you will find to be the end of his work, as we know to our
doleful experience this day.” Another evidence of the devil’s art
in studying the destruction of the poor creature, was manifest,
in that same place, and year 1649. A certain woman in the town of
Lauder was blamed, not by Hob Grieve, but by some other, and for a
long time denied. The magistrates of the place, for this cause, were
loth to meddle with her, but adjudged to death all the rest, who had
confessed; and ordained them to be burnt upon the Monday after; she
hearing of this, and she alone was to remain in prison, without hopes
of escape, was prompted by the devil to make up a confession in her
own bosom, as she supposed might take away her life; and thereupon
sent for the minister, and made that confession of witchcraft which
she herself had patched up, before witnesses; and in the close, she
earnestly entreated the magistrates and ministers, “That she might
be burnt with the rest upon Monday next.” Her confession was, “That
she had covenanted with the devil, and had become his servant about
twenty years before, when she was but a young lass: and that he
kissed her, and gave her a name, but since he had never owned her;
and that she knew no more of the works of the devil, as she should
answer to God, but what she had said was true.” But intelligent
persons began to be jealous of the truth of that confession, and
began to suspect, That out of the pride of her heart, in a desperate
way, she had made up that confession to destroy her life, because she
still pressed to be cut off with the rest on Monday. Therefore much
pains was taken on her by ministers and others on Saturday, Sunday,
and Monday morning, that she might resile from that confession, which
was suspected to be but a temptation of the devil to destroy both her
soul and body; yea it was charged home upon her by the ministers,
that there was just ground of jealousy, that her confession was not
sincere, and she was charged before the Lord to declare the truth,
and not take her blood upon her own head. Yet stiffly she adhered to
what she had said, and cried always to be put away with the rest.
Whereupon, on Monday morning, being called before the judges, and
confessing before them what she said, she was found guilty, and
condemned to die with the rest that same day. Being carried forth
to the place of execution, she remained silent, during the first,
second, and third prayer, and then perceiving that there remained
no more, but to rise and go to the stake, she lifted up her body,
and with a loud voice, cried out, “Now all you that see me this day,
know that I am now to die a witch by my own confession, and I free
all men, especially the ministers and magistrates, of the guilt of
my blood. I take it wholly upon myself, my blood be upon my own
head. And as I must make answer to the God of heaven presently, I
declare, I am as free of witchcraft as any child; but being delated
by a malicious woman, and put in prison under the name of a witch,
disowned by my husband and friends, and seeing no ground of hope of
my coming out of prison, or ever coming in credit again, through
the temptation of the devil I made up that confession, on purpose
to destroy my own life, being weary of it, and chusing rather to
die than live; and so died.” Which lamentable story, as it did then
astonish all the spectators, none of which could restrain themselves
from tears, so it may be to all a demonstration of Satan’s subtilty,
whose design is still to destroy all, partly by tempting many to
presumption, and some others to dispair. These things are attested
to be true by an eye and ear-witness, who is yet alive, a faithful
minister of the gospel.
X.—_A true narrative of the Drummer of Tedworth._
In the year 1661, about the middle of March, a gentleman named Mr.
Mompesson, in the county of Wilts, being at a neighbouring town,
called Ludgarshal, and hearing a drum beat there, he enquired of
the bailie of the town, at whose house he then was, what it meant.
The bailie told him, That they had been for some days troubled with
an idle drummer, who demanded money of the constable, by virtue of
a pretended pass, which he thought was counterfeit. Upon this Mr.
Mompesson sent for the fellow, and asked him by what authority he
went up and down the country with his drum? The drummer answered,
He had good authority, and produced his pass, with a warrant under
the hands of Sir William Cowley, and Col. Ayliff of Creetenham. Mr.
Mompesson knowing these gentlemen’s hands, discovered that the pass
and warrant were counterfeit, and thereupon commanded the vagrant to
put off his drum, and charged the constable to carry him before the
next justice of the peace to be further examined, and punished. The
fellow confessed the cheat, and begged only to have his drum. Mr.
Mompesson told him, That if he understood from Colonel Ayliff, whose
drummer he said he was, that he had been an honest man, he should
have it again; but in the mean time he would secure it. So he left
the drum with the bailie, and the drummer in the constable’s hands,
who, it seems, was prevailed on by the fellow’s intreaties to let
him go.——About the midst of April following, when Mr. Mompesson was
preparing for a journey to London, the bailie sent the drum to his
house. When he returned from that journey, his wife told him that
they had been much affrighted in the night by thieves, and that the
house had been like to have been broken up; and he had not been at
home above three nights, when the same noise was heard, that had
disturbed his family in his absence. It was a very great din and
knocking at his doors, and the outside of his house. Hereupon he got
up, and went about the house with a brace of pistols in his hands. He
opened the door where the great knocking was, and then he heard the
noise at another door. He opened that also, and went out round his
house, but could discover nothing, only he heard a strange noise, as
a thumping and drumming on the top of his house, which continued a
great space, and then by degrees went off into the air. After this
the noise of thumping and drumming was very frequent, usually five
nights together, and then it would intermit three. It was on the out
sides of the house, which is most of it of board. It came constantly
as they were going to sleep, whether early or late. After a month’s
disturbance without, it came into the room where the drum lay, four
or five nights in seven, within half an hour after they were in bed,
continuing almost two hours. The sign of it just before it came
was, they still heard an hurling in the air over the house; and at
its going off the beating of a drum, like that at the breaking up
of a guard. It continued in the room for the space of two months,
which time Mr. Mompesson lay there to observe it. In the fore-part
of the night, it used to be very troublesome, but after two hours
all would be quiet.——Mrs. Mompesson being brought to bed, there was
but little noise that night she was in travel, nor any for three
weeks after, till she had recovered strength. But after this civil
cessation it returned in a ruder manner than before, and followed
and vext the youngest children, beating their bedsteads with that
violence, that all present expected when they would fall in pieces.
In laying hands on them, one should feel no blows, but might perceive
them to shake exceedingly. For an hour together it would beat on
the drum, roundheads and cuckolds, and tat-too, and several other
points of war, as well as any drummer could. After this they would
hear a scraping under the children’s bed, as by something that had
iron talons. It would lift the children up in their beds, follow them
from one room to another, and for a while haunt none particularly but
them. There was a cock-loft in the house, which had not been observed
to have been troubled, thither they removed the children, putting
them to bed, while it was fair day, where they were no sooner laid,
but their troubler was with them as before.—On the 1st of November
1662, it kept a mighty noise; and a servant observing two boards in
the children’s room seeming to move, he bid it give him one of them;
upon which the board came (nothing moving it that he saw) within
a yard of him. The man added, “Nay, let me have it in my hand;”
upon which it was shut quite home to him; he thrust it back, and it
was driven to him again, and so up and down, to and fro, at least
twenty times together, till Mr. Mompesson forbad his servant’s such
familiarities. This was in the day time, and seen by a whole roomful
of people: that morning it left a sulphureous smell behind it, which
was very offensive. At night the minister, one Mr. Craig and divers
of the neighbours, came to the house on a visit. The minister went
to prayer with them, kneeling at the children’s bed-side; during
prayer-time, it withdrew into the cock-loft, but returned as soon
as prayer was ended; and then, in sight of the company, the chairs
walked about the room of themselves; the children’s shoes were hurled
over their head, and every loose thing moved about the chamber. At
the same time a bed-staff was thrown at the minister, which hit
him on the leg, but so favourably, that some wool could not have
fallen more softly; and it was observed, that it stopt just where it
lighted, without rolling or stirring from that place. Mr. Mompesson
perceiving that it so much persecuted the young children, he lodged
them out at a neighbour’s house, taking his eldest daughter, who was
about ten years of age, into his own chamber, where it had not been a
month before. As soon as she was in bed, the disturbance began there
again, continuing drumming and making noises; and it was observed,
that it would exactly answer in drumming any thing that was beaten
or called for. After this, the house where the children were lodging
in, happening to be full of strangers, they were taken home, and no
disturbance having been known in the parlour, they were lodged there,
where also their persecutor found them; but then only plucked them by
the hair and night clothes, without any other disturbance.
It was noted, that when the noise was loudest, no dog about the house
would move, though the knocking was oft so boisterous and rude, that
it had been heard a considerable distance in the fields, and awakened
the neighbours in the village, none of which live very near the
house. The servants sometimes were lift up with their beds, and then
let gently down again without hurt; at other times it would lie like
a great weight upon their feet.