There is something so absurd and ridiculous in the terrors spread by
_Miss Parsons_, that I think it hardly fair to class her operations
with really serious offences against the laws of morality; but,
recollecting that her _knockings indicated_ a charge of poisoning, my
scruples are removed, and I proceed to sketch the principal outlines of
an incident that agitated the public mind till 1762, when all who had
"three ideas in continuity" were convinced that the _spirit_ possessed
no _supernatural_ powers.
For two years previous to the above date, knockings and scratchings had
frequently been heard during the night in the first floor of a person
named Parsons, who held the office of Clerk to St. Sepulchre's-church,
and resided in Cock-lane, near West Smithfield. This man, _alarmed_
at the circumstance, made several experiments to discover the cause,
and at last had the amazing good fortune to trace the sounds to a
bedstead, on which two of his children reposed after the fatigues of
the day; the eldest of whom, _though a most surprising girl of her
age_, had numbered but twelve winters. Justly supposing the children
might suffer some dreadful injury from the knocker, this affectionate
parent removed them a story higher; but, horror upon horror, the
tremendous noise followed the _innocents_, and even disturbed their
rest for whole nights. But this was not all: a publican, resident in
the neighbourhood, was frightened into serious illness by the form of a
fleeting female ghost, which saluted his vision one fatal evening when
in Parsons's house; nay, that worthy Clerk saw it himself about an hour
afterwards.
Facts of this description cannot be concealed: reports of the noises
and of the appearance of the phantom spread from the lane into a vast
circle of space; numbers visited the unfortunate house, and others
sat the night through with the tortured infant, appalled by sounds
terrific; at length a Clergyman determined to adjure the Spirit, and
thus obtain direct replies to the following questions: "Whether any
person in that house had been injured?" The answer, expressed by the
_number_ of knocks (as the ghost was denied the power of speech, and
of shewing herself _within reach_), was in the affirmative. "Was she
a woman?"--"Yes; the Spirit then explained, that she had been kept by
Mr. ----, who poisoned her when ill of the Small-pox, and that her body
was deposited in the vault of St. John's-church, Clerkenwell." During
this examination, the girl exhibited a considerable deal of art, but
betrayed herself decidedly in several instances. The result was, that
the Spirit ardently desired the murderer might be punished for her
alledged death. A wise-acre, who narrated the above particulars in a
newspaper of the time, observes, with wonderful sagacity, "What _is_
remarkable _is_, that the Spirit _is_ never heard _till the children
are in bed_. This knocking was heard by the _supposed woman_ when
alive, who declared it foretold her death." Another account of the
affair asserts that the person accused had married two sisters, and
that Fanny, the daughter of Parsons, had slept with the lady that
_appeared_ by _knocking_ and _scratching_ during her husband's absence
at a wedding; but the knocking the deceased heard, was declared by the
girl to be caused by the Spirit of the previously deceased sister; if
so, the girl's infernal acts may have caused the death of the woman, as
it is well known the agitation of a mind under the terrors of supposed
supernatural visitation must have a fatal tendency in such a disorder
as the small-pox.
As an astonishing proof of the folly of certain persons on this
occasion, I shall quote the following paragraphs from the London
Chronicle, vol. XI. p. 74, which conclude a string of questions and
answers, put to, and received from the horrid girl, who, young as she
was, richly deserved hanging, with her prompters. "What must occasion
credulity is, the afflicting an _innocent child_, whom this Spirit
acknowledges to be so, and that it is not the part of a good Spirit so
to do, while, _she knocks that she is_, and permitted by God, not by
Satan, to appear. _What is more astonishing_, that she will not cease
troubling the child after satisfaction had. There is such a mixture
_of truth_ and _contradictions_, that a person _cannot help doubting_
of the veracity of this knocker. It is, we humbly presume, fit to be
enquired into, for the satisfaction of the publick, and to bring to
exemplary punishment the impostor or impostors, _if any_, to relieve a
distressed family, to preserve the reputation of the innocent, or to
vindicate the cause of the injured. The publick are desired to rest
satisfied, as the fraud, _if any_, will be discovered soon; of which
they may rest assured.
"The gentleman intended to be accused in this affair, of perpetrating
upon two wives the most atrocious of all crimes, was married about
six months since, to a very agreeable young lady, with a fortune of
3000_l._ The unhappy situation in which they must both be, from so
horrid an aspersion upon the former, may be more easily conceived than
expressed."
This shameful affair terminated in the manner described in the ensuing
words, extracted from one of the newspapers published in February 1762.
"February 1. On this night many gentlemen, eminent for their rank
and character, were, by the invitation of the Rev. Mr. Aldrich, of
Clerkenwell, assembled at his house, for the examination of the noises
supposed to be made by a departed Spirit, for the detection of some
enormous crime. About ten at night, the gentlemen met in the chamber,
in which the girl supposed to be disturbed by a Spirit had, with proper
caution, been put to bed by several ladies. They sat rather more than
an hour, and hearing nothing went down stairs; when they interrogated
the father of the girl, who denied, in the strongest terms, any
_knowledge or belief_ of fraud. The supposed Spirit had before publicly
promised, by an affirmative knock, _that it would attend_ one of the
gentlemen _into the vault_, under the Church of St. John's Clerkenwell,
where the body is deposited, and give a token of _her presence there_,
by a knock upon her coffin. It was therefore determined to make this
trial of the existence or veracity of the supposed Spirit.
"While they were enquiring and deliberating, they were summoned into
the girl's chamber by some ladies, who were near her bed, and who
had heard knocks and scratches. When the gentlemen entered, the girl
declared that she felt the Spirit like a mouse upon her back, and
was required to hold her hands out of bed. From that time, though
the Spirit was very solemnly required to manifest its existence,
by appearance, by impression on the hand or body of any present,
by scratches, knocks, or any other agency, _no evidence of any
preter-natural power was exhibited_.
"_The Spirit was then very seriously advertised_, that the person to
whom the promise was made, of striking the coffin, was then about to
visit the vault, and that the performance of the promise was then
claimed. The company, at one, went into the Church; and the gentleman
to whom the promise was made went with one more into the vault. _The
Spirit was solemnly required_ to perform its promise; _but nothing more
than silence ensued_. The person supposed to be accused by the Spirit
then went down with several others, _but no effect was perceived_. Upon
their return, they examined the girl, but _could draw no confession
from her_. Between two and three she desired, and was permitted to go
home with her father.
"It is therefore the opinion of the whole assembly, that the child has
some art of making or counterfeiting particular noises[185:A], _and
that there is no agency of any higher cause_."
Completely exasperated at the base methods adopted by his enemies
to ruin his character, if not to affect his life, the injured party
at length had recourse to the justice of his Country; and exactly
one year after the exposure of this ridiculous as well as wicked
imposture, the principals made him pecuniary satisfaction, to avoid
worse consequences; but Parsons received sentence of imprisonment for
two years, and to be pilloried three times; his wife imprisonment one
year, and their servant six months. Thus ended the serio-comedy of
_Fanny the phantom_, which afforded fine sport for the wits of the
day; nay, Parsons shared in the joke, for the populace pitied his
_unmerited_ sufferings, and, instead of pelting, cherished him when on
the pillory, and even gathered money for him.
The Mayoralty of William Beckford, Esq. was distinguished by the trial
of a greater number of felons than had occurred for many preceding
years: 508 were placed at the bar of the Old Bailey; 58 received
sentence of death; 187 were ordered to be transported; 15 to be branded
in the hand, and five to be whipped.
Amongst the mal-practices of the Century may be included the Private
Mad-houses. At first view such receptacles appear useful, and in many
respects preferable to Public; but the avarice of the keepers, who were
under no other controul than their own consciences, led them to assist
in the most nefarious plans for confining sane persons, whose relations
or guardians, impelled by the same motive, or private vengeance,
sometimes forgot all the restraints of nature, and immured them in the
horrors of a prison, under a charge of insanity.
Turlington kept a private Mad-house at Chelsea: to this place Mrs.
Hawley was conveyed by her mother and husband, September 5, 1762, under
pretence of their going on a party of pleasure to Turnham-green. She
was rescued from the coercion of this man by a writ of _Habeas corpus_,
obtained by Mr. La Fortune, to whom the lady was denied by Turlington
and Dr. Riddle; but the latter having been fortunate enough to see her
at a window, her release was accomplished. It was fully proved upon
examination, that no medicines were offered to Mrs. Hawley, and that
she was perfectly sane. This fact might be supported by the cases of
Mrs. Smith, Mrs. Durant, &c.
"Mr. Turlington having, in defence of the proceedings of this house,
referred himself to Mr. King as the person entrusted and employed
by him, the Committee of the House of Commons thought it necessary
to summons him. Mr. King said he had been in the Wool-trade, but
for six years past he had been employed by Mr. Turlington to keep
his Mad-house: that he had received no written directions from Mr.
Turlington; that he found several patients in the house on his being
employed, and all lunatic; that since his being employed _he had
admitted several for drunkenness_, and for other reasons of the same
sort alledged by their _friends_ or relations bringing them, which he
had always thought a sufficient authority. As to the treatment of the
persons confined, he said, that they had the liberty of walking in the
garden, and passing from one room to another; and as to their diet
and apartments, he said, it was according to the allowance they paid,
which was from 60_l._ to 20_l._ a year. He admitted that he knew Mrs.
Hawley; that she was confined at the representation of a woman who
called herself her mother; and that the reason alledged by her for the
confinement of her daughter was drunkenness. He said, that he did not
remember that she was refused pen, ink, and paper; but at the same time
acknowledged it was the established order of the house, that no letter
should be sent by any of the persons confined to their friends and
relations."
Dr. Battie celebrated for his knowledge in cases of insanity, related
the case "of a person whom he visited in confinement for Lunacy, in
Macdonald's Mad-house, and who had been, as the Doctor believes, for
some years in this confinement. Upon being desired by Macdonald to
attend him by the order, as Macdonald pretended, of the relations of
the patient, he found him chained to his bed, and without ever having
had the assistance of any physician before; but some time after, upon
being sent for by one of the relations to a house in the City, and
then told, Macdonald had received no orders for desiring the Doctor's
attendance, the Doctor understood this to be a dismission, and he never
heard any thing more of the unhappy patient, till Macdonald told him
some time after that he died of a fever, without having had any farther
medical assistance; and a sum of money devolved upon his death to the
person who had the care of him."
Upon those and other instances of wickedness and inhumanity, leave was
given to bring in a Bill "for the regulation of Private Mad-houses in
this Kingdom."