A Dublin Instance, attested by Mr Daniel Williams, now in London.
About the year 1678, I knew a young woman, who was niece to Alderman Arundel, in Dublin. In her said uncle’s house she was pursued with very terrible noises; as by violent strokes on the wainscots and chests, in what chambers she frequented.
The blows were heard throughout the house, and were so troublesome, as to occasion the removal of the young woman to an house near Smithfield, in Dublin, not without hopes that the disturbance might thereby cease; but the noise pursued her thither, and was no more heard in her former dwelling.
Here she continued as long as the owner of that house would bear the resort of people, and terror of those sudden and frequent claps. From this place she was removed to a little house in Patrick-street, near the gate. Here she met with the same exercise, and the noise was, genearlly about two-a-clock in the morning, greater than at other times.
Several nights were spent in prayer with her, by ministers, as Mr Cox, Dr Roles, Mr Chambers, Mr Kevs, etc. who all, with many others, assured me, they heard the said blows in the room where they prayed, sometimes on a great chest there, sometimes on the wall, etc.
Mr Chambers and Mr Keys were employed there the night before I had promised to be with her. The next night, Mr Cox having oft heard the said noises, and oft prayed with the woman, was desirous to accompany me. There were many people (as usual) sat up with us; I preached from Heb. 2, 18, and contrived to be at prayer at that time when the noise used to be greatest. When I was at prayer, the woman, kneeling by me, catched violently at my arm, and afterwards told us, she saw a terrible sight; but it pleased God, there was no noise at all. And from that time, God graciously freed her from all that disturbance.
I examined this person, and could find nothing in her circumstances fit to induce one to any satisfactory judgement of her case. These noises lasted about three months, and she was much enfeebled in body, and almost distracted thereby; but soon recovered upon the removal thereof.
Attested by me, Daniel Williams.
p88 in The certainty of the world of spirits fully evinced, by Richard Baxter. (1691)