The True Story vs. Myth of Witchcraft. William Godwin
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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, my8 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,