middle of March, in the year 1661, at a neighbouring town called Ludlow,
and hearing a drummer beat there, he enquired of the bailiff of the town
at whose house he then was, what it meant. The bailiff told him, that
they had for some days past been annoyed by an idle drummer, who
demanded money of the constable by virtue of a pretended pass, which he
thought was counterfeited. On hearing this, Mr. Monpesson sent for the
fellow, and asked him by what authority he went up and down the country
in that manner with his drum. The drummer answered, that he had good
authority, and produced his pass, with a warrant under the hands of Sir
William Cawley, and Colonel Ayliff, of Gretenham. Mr. Monpesson,
however, being acquainted with the hand-writing of these gentlemen,
discovered that the pass and warrant were counterfeit, upon which he
commanded the vagrant to lay down his drum, and at the same time gave
him in charge to a constable, to carry him before the next justice of
the peace, to be farther examined and punished. The fellow then
confessed that the pass and warrant were forged, and begged earnestly to
be forgiven and to have his drum restored: upon this Mr. Monpesson told
him, that if, upon enquiry from Colonel Ayliff, whose drummer he
represented himself to be, he should turn out to be an honest man, he
should listen to his entreaty and have the drum back again; but that, in
the mean time, he would take care of it. The drum, therefore, was left
in the bailiff’s hand; and the drummer went off in charge of the
constable, who, it appears, was prevailed upon, by the fellow’s
entreaties, to allow him to escape.
About the middle of April following, at a time when Mr. Monpesson was
preparing for a journey to London, the bailiff sent the drum to his
house. On his return from his journey, his wife informed him that they
had been very much alarmed in the night by thieves, and that the house
had like to have been torn down. In confirmation of this alarm, Mr.
Monpesson had not been above three nights at home, when the same noise
was again heard which had disturbed the family in his absence. It
consisted of a tremendous knocking at the doors, and thumping on the
walls of the house; upon which Mr. M. got out of bed, armed himself with
a brace of pistols, opened the street door to ascertain the cause, which
he had no sooner done, than the noise removed to another door, which he
also opened, went out, and walked round the house; but could discover
nothing, although he heard a strange noise and hollow sound. He had no
sooner returned and got into bed, than he was again disturbed by a noise
and drumming on the top of the house, which continued for a length of
time, and then gradually subsided, as if it went off into the air.
The noise of thumping and drumming, after this, was very frequent;
usually for five nights together, when there would be an intermission of
three. The noise was on the outside of the house, which principally
consisted of board; and usually came on just as the family was going to
bed, whether that happened early or late. After continuing these
annoyances for a month on the outside of the house, it at length made
bold to come into the room where the drum lay, four or five nights in
every seven; coming always on after they had got into bed, and
continuing for two hours after. The signal for the appearance of the
noise was the hearing of a hurling of the air over the house; and when
it was about to retire, the drum would beat the same as if a guard were
being relieved. It continued in this room for the space of two months,
during which time Mr. Monpesson lay there to observe it. In the early
part of the night, it used to be very troublesome, but after it had
continued two hours, all would be quiet again.
During the prevalence of this disturbance, Mrs. Monpesson was brought to
bed, and the night on which this occurrence took place, there was but
very little noise made, nor any at all for the three subsequent weeks of
her confinement. After this polite and well-timed cessation, it returned
in a sudden and more violent manner than before; it followed and teased
their youngest children, and beat against their bedstead so violently
that every moment they were expected to be broken to pieces. On placing
their hands upon them at this time, no blows were felt, although they
were perceived to shake exceedingly. For an hour together the drum would
beat roundheads and cuckold, the tat-too, and several other martial
pieces, as well as any drummer could possibly execute them. After this,
a scratching would be heard under the children’s beds, as if something
that had iron claws were at work. It would lift the children up in their
beds, follow them from one room to another, and for a while only haunted
them, without playing any other pranks.
There was a cockloft in the house, which had not been observed to be
troubled; and to this place the children were removed; and were always
put to bed before daylight disappeared, but here they were no sooner
laid, than their disturber was at his work again with them.
On the fifth of November, 1661, a terrible noise was kept up; and one of
Mr. Monpesson’s servants observing two boards moving in the children’s
room, asked that one might be given to him; upon which a board came
(nothing moving it that he saw) within a yard of him; the man said
again, _let me have it in my hand_; when it was brought quite close to
him, and in this manner it was continued moving up and down, to and fro,
for at least twenty minutes together. Mr. Monpesson, however, forbade
his servant to take liberties with the invisible and troublesome guest
in future. This circumstance took place in the day-time, and was
witnessed by a whole room full of people. The morning this occurred, it
left a very offensive sulphureous smell behind it. At night, the
minister of the parish, one Mr. Cragg, and several of the neighbours,
paid Mr. M. a visit. The minister prayed at the children’s bedside, when
the demon was then extremely troublesome and boisterous. During time of
prayer it retired into the cockloft, but as soon as prayers were over it
returned; when in the presence and sight of the company, the chairs
began to walk and strut about the room of their own accord, the
children’s shoes were thrown over their heads, and every thing loose
moved about the room. At the same time, a bedpost was thrown at the
minister, which struck him on the leg, but so gently that a lock of wool
could not have fallen more gently; and it was observed, that it stopped
just where it fell, without rolling or otherwise moving from the place.
In consequence of the demon tormenting the children so incessantly, he
had them removed to a neighbour’s house, taking his eldest daughter, who
was about ten years of age, into his own chamber, where it had not been
for a month before; but, as soon as she was in bed, the noise began
there again, and the drumming continued for three weeks with other
noises; and if any particular thing was called for to be beaten on the
drum, it would perform it. The children were brought home again, in
consequence of the house where they were placed being crowded with
strangers. They were now placed in the parlour, which, it was remarked,
had hitherto not been disturbed; but no sooner were they here, than
their tormentor, while they were in bed, amused himself with pulling
their hair and bedgowns, without offering any other violence.
It was remarked, that when the noise was loudest, and when it came with
the most sudden and surprising violence, no dog about the house would
move or bark, though the knocking and thumping were often so boisterous
and rude, that they were heard at a considerable distance in the fields,
and awakened the neighbours in the village, some of whom lived very near
this house. Not unfrequently the servants would be lifted up, with their
bed, to a considerable height, and then let gently down again without
harm; at other times it would lie like a great weight upon their feet.
About the end of December, 1661, the drumming was less frequent, but
then a noise like the chinking of money was substituted for it,
occasioned, as it was thought, in consequence of something Mr.
Monpesson’s mother had said the day before to a neighbour, who spoke
about fairies leaving money behind them; _viz._ that she should like it
well, if it would leave them some to make them amends for the trouble it
had caused them. The following night, a great chinking and jingling of
money was heard all over the house. After this it left off its ruder
pranks, and amused itself in little apish and less troublesome tricks.
On Christmas morning, a little before daylight, one of the little boys
was hit, as he was getting out of bed, upon a sore place on his heel,
with the latch of the door, the pin of which, that fastened it to the
door, was so small, that it was a matter of no little difficulty for any
one else to pick it. The night after Christmas, it threw the old
gentlewoman’s clothes about the room, and hid her bible in the ashes;
with a number of other mischievous tricks of the same kind.
After this, it became very troublesome to one of Mr. Monpesson’s servant
men, a stout fellow, and of sober conversation. This man slept in the
house during the greater part of the disturbance; and for several nights
something would attempt to pull the bedclothes off him, which he often,
though not always, prevented by main force; his shoes were frequently
thrown at his head, and sometimes he would find himself forcibly held,
as it were, hand and feet; but he found that when he could use a sword
which he had by him, and struck with it, the spirit let go his hold.
Some short time after these contests, a son of Mr. Thomas Bennet, for
whom the drummer had sometimes worked, came to the house, and mentioned
some words to Mr. Monpesson that the drummer had spoken, which it seems
were not well taken; for they were no sooner in bed, than the drum began
to beat in a most violent manner: the gentleman got up and called his
man, who was lying with Mr. Monpesson’s servant just mentioned, whose
name was John. As soon as Mr. Bennet’s man was gone, John heard a
rustling noise in his chamber, as if a person in silks were moving up
and down; he immediately put out his hand for his sword, which he felt
was withheld by some one, and it was with difficulty and much tugging,
that he got it again into his possession, which he had no sooner done,
than the spectre left him; and it was always remarked it avoided a
sword. About the beginning of January, 1662, they used to hear a singing
in the chimney before it descended; and one night, about this time,
lights were seen in the house. One of them came into Mr. Monpesson’s
chamber, which appeared blue and glimmering, and caused a great
stiffness in the eyes of those who beheld it. After the light
disappeared, something was heard walking or creeping up stairs, as if
without shoes. The light was seen four or five times in the children’s
chamber; and the maids confidently affirm, that the doors were at least
ten times opened or shut in their presence; and that, when they were
opened, they heard a noise as if half a dozen had entered together; some
of which were afterwards heard to walk about the room, and one rustled
about as if it had been dressed in silk, similar to that Mr. Monpesson
himself heard.
While the demon was in one of his knocking moods, and at a time when
many were present, a gentleman of the company said, “Satan, if the
drummer set thee to work, give three knocks and no more;” which it did
very distinctly, and stopped. The same gentleman then knocked to hear if
it would answer him as it was accustomed to do. For further proof, he
required it, if it actually were the drummer that employed him as the
agent of his malice, to give five knocks and no more that night; which
it did, and quietly left the house for the remainder of the night. This
was done in the presence of Sir Thomas Chamberlaine of Oxfordshire, and
many other creditable persons.
On Saturday morning, an hour before daylight, January 10, a drum was
heard beating upon the outside of Mr. Monpesson’s chamber, from whence
it went to the other end of the house, where some gentlemen strangers
lay, and commenced playing at their door four or five different tunes;
and at length flew off in the air. The next night, a blacksmith in the
village, and Mr. Monpesson’s man John, who was lying with him, heard a
noise in the room, as if somebody were shoeing a horse; and something
came with something like a pair of pincers, and nipped at the
blacksmith’s nose the whole of the night.
Getting up one morning to go a journey, Mr. Monpesson heard a great
noise below, where the children lay; and on running down instantly with
a pistol in his hand, he heard a voice cry out, a witch! a witch!
similar to one they had heard on a former occasion. On his entering the
apartment, all became quiet again.
The demon having one night played some little pranks at the foot of Mr.
Monpesson’s bed, it went into another bed, where one of his daughters
lay, and passed from one side to the other, lifting her up as it passed
under her. At that time there were three kinds of noises in the bed.
They attempted to thrust at it with a sword, but it continually evaded
them. The following night it came panting like a dog out of breath, when
some one present took a bedpost to strike at it, when it was immediately
snatched out of her hand; and company coming up stairs at the same time,
the room was filled with a nauseous stench, and very hot, although there
was no fire on, and during a very sharp winter’s night. It continued
panting an hour and a half, panting and scratching; and afterwards went
into the adjoining chamber, where it began to knock a little, and seemed
to rattle a chair; thus it continued for two or three nights in
succession. The old lady’s bible after this was found again among the
ashes, with the leaves downwards. It was taken up by Mr. Monpesson, who
observed that it lay open at the third chapter of St. Mark, where
mention is made of the unclean spirits falling down before our Saviour,
and of his giving power to the twelve Apostles to cast out devils, and
of the Scribes’ opinion, and that he cast them out through Beelzebub.
The following morning ashes were scattered over the chamber floor, to
see what impressions would be left upon it; in the morning, in one place
they found the resemblance of a great claw in another that of a smaller
one, some letters in another, which could not be decyphered, besides a
number of circles and scratches in the ashes, which no one understood
except the demon itself.
About this time, the author of the narration went to the house to
enquire after the truth of the circumstances which made so much noise in
that part of the country. The demon had left off drumming, and the
terrible noises it was in the habit of making before he arrived; but
most of the remarkable facts already related, were confirmed to him
there by several of the neighbours, on whose veracity he could depend,
who had witnessed them. It now used to haunt the children after they
were gone to bed. On the night he was there, the children went to bed
about 8 o’clock; a maid servant immediately came down and informed us
that the spirit was come. The neighbours then present went away, as well
as two ministers who had previously been some time in the house, but Mr.
Monpesson the author, and another gentleman who came with him, went up
to the room where the children were in bed. A scratching was heard as
they went up stairs, and just as they got into the room, it was
perceived just behind the bolster of the bed in which the children lay,
and appeared to be lying against the tick. The noise it made was like
that made with long nails upon the bolster. There were two little girls,
about seven or eight years of age, in the bed. Their hands were outside
the bedclothes, so that it was perfectly visible the noise was not made
by them which was behind their heads: they had been so used to it of
late, and always with some present in the chamber, that they seemed to
take very little notice of it. The narrator, who was standing at the
head of the bed, thrust his hand behind the bolster from whence the
noise proceeded, when it was immediately heard in another part of the
bed; but as soon as his hand was taken away, it returned to the same
place as before. On being told that it would imitate noises, he made
trial by scratching several times upon the sheet, as five, seven, and
ten times: it exactly replied to them by equal numbers. He looked under
and behind the bed, grasped the bolster, sounded the wall, and made
every possible search to find out any trick, contrivance, or other
cause, as well as his friend, but could discover nothing. So that in
truth he concluded, that the noise was made by some spirit or demon.
After it had scratched about for half an hour or more, it got into the
middle of the bed under the children, where it lay panting loudly, like
a dog out of breath. The author then put his hand upon the place, and
plainly felt the bed bearing up against it, as if it contained something
within thrusting it up. He grasped the feather to feel if he could
distinguish any thing alive; then looked every where about to see if
there were any dog or cat, or other creature, in the room; every one
present followed his example, but still they discovered nothing. The
motion it caused by its panting was so violent, that it had a visible
effect on the room and windows. In this manner it continued for half an
hour, the time the author was present. During this panting, something
was seen in a linen bag that was hung up against another bed, that was
taken for a mouse or rat, but upon the closest examination of it,
nothing was found in it of any description.
The author and his friend afterwards slept in the very identical chamber
where the principal disturbance had been first made. He was awakened by
a terrible noise made on the outside of the chamber door. He awoke his
friend, and asked three distinct times who was there, but received no
answer. At last he exclaimed, “_in the name of God who is it, and what
would you have?_ To which a voice answered, _nothing with you_. Thinking
it was some of the servants of the house, they went to sleep again.
Mentioning, however, the circumstance the next morning to Mr. Monpesson,
he declared that no one of the house lay that way, or had any business
thereabouts, and that none of his servants had got up until they were
called by him some time after daylight. This the servants confirmed, and
protested that the noise was not made by them. Previous to this, Mr.
Monpesson had told us, that it would go away in the middle of the night,
and return at different times about four o’clock, which was supposed to
be about the hour it was heard by the author and his friend.
Another circumstance connected with this seemingly mysterious business
was, that the author’s servant coming up to him in the morning, told
him, that one of his horses, the one which he had rode, was all in a
sweat, and appeared in every other respect as if it had been out all
night. His friend and him went down to the stable, and actually found
him in the state he was represented to be. On inquiry how the horse had
been treated, he was assured that the animal had been well fed, and
taken care of as he used to be; his servant besides was extremely
careful of his horses. “The horse,” says the author, “I had had a good
time, and never knew but he was very sound. But after I had rid him a
mile or two very gently over a plain down from Mr. Monpesson’s house, he
fell lame, and having made a hard shift to bring me home, died in two or
three days, no one being able to imagine what he ailed. This, I confess,
might be the consequence of an accident, or some unusual distemper, but
all things put together, it seems very probable that it was somewhat
else.”
Mr. Monpesson then stated, that one morning a light appeared in the
children’s chamber, and a voice was heard crying—a witch! a witch! for
at least an hundred times together. At another time, seeing some wood
move on the chimney of a room where he was, he fired a pistol among it;
and on examining the place afterwards, several drops of blood were
discovered on the hearth, and on several parts of the stairs. For two or
three nights after the discharge of the pistol nothing was heard, but it
returned, and so persecuted a little child newly taken from the nurse,
that the poor infant was not suffered to rest either day or night; nor
would the mischievous demon suffer a candle to burn in the room, but
either ran up the chimney with them alight, or threw them under the bed.
It so frightened this child by leaping upon it, that it continued in
fits for several hours; and ultimately they were obliged to remove the
children out of the house. Something was heard the next night, about the
hour of midnight, coming up stairs; it knocked at Mr. Monpesson’s door,
but he not answering, it went up another pair of stairs to his man’s
chamber, and appeared to him at his bed foot. The exact shape and
proportion of the demon he could not discover; all he saw was a great
body, with two red and glaring eyes, which for some time were steadily
fixed upon him; and at length they disappeared.
On another occasion, in the presence of strangers, it purred in the
children’s bed like a cat, and lifted the children up so forcibly, that
six men could not keep them down; upon which they removed the children
to another bed, but no sooner were they laid here than this became more
troubled than the first. In this manner it continued for four hours, and
so unmercifully beat the poor children’s legs against the posts, that
they were obliged to sit up all night. It then emptied chamber-pots, and
threw ashes into the beds, and placed a long iron pike in Mr.
Monpesson’s, and a knife into his mother’s. It would fill porringers
with ashes, throw every thing about, and kick up the devil’s diversion
from morning till night, and from night till morning.
About the beginning of April, 1663, a gentleman that lay in the house,
had all his money turned black in his pockets; and one morning Mr.
Monpesson going into his stable, found the horse he was accustomed to
ride upon, lying on the ground with one of its hind legs in its mouth,
and fastened there in such a manner, that several men with a leaver, had
the greatest difficulty in getting it out. After this there were a
number of other remarkable things occurred, but the author’s account
extends no farther; with the exception that Mr. Monpesson wrote him
word, that the house was afterwards, for several nights, beset with
seven or eight beings in the shape of men, who, as soon as a gun was
discharged, would scud away into an adjoining arbour.
The drummer, however, it appears, was apprehended in consequence of
these strange and mysterious occurrences. He was first, it seems,
committed to Gloucester jail for stealing, where a Wiltshire man going
to see him, the drummer enquired the news in Wiltshire: the reply was,
none: No, returned he, do you not hear of the drumming at a gentleman’s
house at Tedworth? That I do, said the other, enough: “I, quoth the
drummer, I have plagued him (or something to that purpose) and he never
shall be quiet until he has made me satisfaction for taking away my
drum. Upon information made to this effect, the drummer was tried for a
wizzard at Sarum, and all the main circumstances here related being
sworn to at the assizes, by the minister of the parish, and several
others of the most intelligent and substantial inhabitants, who had been
eye and earwitnesses of them, from time to time, for many years past;
the drummer was sentenced to transportation, and accordingly sent away;
and as the story runs, ’tis said, that by raising storms, and terrifying
the seamen, he contrived, some how or other, to get back again. And what
is still as remarkable, is, that during his restraint and absence, Mr.
Monpesson’s house remained undisturbed; but as soon as the demon of his
quiet returned, he fell to his old tricks again as bad as ever.”
The drummer had been a soldier under Cromwell, and used to talk much of
“gallant books” which he had of an old fellow, who was counted a
wizzard.
On the authority of Mr. Glanvil, who had it from Mr. Monpesson, we have
the following story.