Relat. XX.
A house haunted some Thirty years ago or more at or near Bow, not far from London, and strangely disturbed by Daemons and Witches.
A certain gentleman about thirty years ago or more, being to travel from London into Essex, and to pass through Bow, at the request of a friend he called at a house there, which began then to be a little disquieted. But not any thing much remarkable yet, unless of a young girl who was plucked by the thigh by a cold hand in her bed who died within a few days after.
Some weeks after his occasions calling him back he passed by the same house again, but had no design to give them a new visit, he having done that not long before. But it happening that the woman of the house stood at the door, he thought himself engaged to ride to her and ask how she did. To whom she answered with a sorrowful countenance; that though she was in tolerable health, yet things went very ill with them, their house being extremely haunted especially above stairs, so that they were forced to keep in the low rooms, there was such flinging of things up and down, of stones and bricks through the windows and putting all in disorder.
But he could scarce forbear laughing at her, giving so little credit to such stories himself, and thought it was the tricks only of some unhappy wags to make sport to themselves and trouble to their neighbours. Well says she, if you will but stay a while you may chance to see something with your own eyes. And indeed he had not stayed any considerable time with her in the street, but a window of an upper room opened of itself (for they of the family took it for granted nobody was above stairs) and out comes a piece of an old wheel through it. Whereupon it presently clapped-to again.
A little while after it suddenly flew open again and out come a brick-bat, which inflamed the gentleman with a more eager desire to see what the matter was, and to discover the knavery. And therefore he boldly resolved if anyone would go up with him, he would into the chamber. But none present durst accompany him. Yet the keen desire of discovering the cheat, made him adventure by himself alone into that room. Into which when he was come, he saw the bedding, chairs and stools, and candlesticks, and bedstaves, and all the furniture rudely scattered on the floor, but upon search found no mortal in the room.
Well, he stays there a while to try conclusions, anon a bedstaff begins to move, and turn itself round a good while together upon its toe, and at last fairly to lay itself down again. The curious spectator, when he had observed it to lie still a while, steps out to it, views it whether any small string or hair were tied to it, or whether there were any hole or button to fasten any such string to, or any hole or string in the ceiling above; but after search, he found not the least suspicion of any such thing.
He retires to the window again, and observes a little longer what may fall out. Anon, another bedstaff rises off from the ground of its own accord higher into the air, and seems to make towards him. He now begins to think there was something more ordinary in the business, and presently makes to the door with all speed, and for better caution shuts it after him. Which was presently opened again, and such a clatter of chairs, and stools, and candlesticks, and bedstaves, sent after him down stairs, as if they intended to have maimed him, but their motion was so moderated, that he received no harm, but by this time he was abundantly assured, that it was not mere womanish fear or superstition that so affrighted the mistress of the house.
And while in a low room he was talking with the family about these things, he saw a tobacco pipe rise from a side table, nobody being nigh, and fly to the other side of the room, and break itself against the wall for his further confirmation, that it was neither the tricks of waggs, nor the fancy of a woman, but the mad frolicks of Witches and Daemons. Which they of the house being fully persuaded of, roasted a bedstaff, upon which an old woman a suspected witch came to the house, and was apprehended, but escaped the Law. But the house was after so ill haunted in all the rooms, upper and lower, that the house stood empty for a long time after.
Advertisement.
This story is found amongst Mr Glanvil’s papers, written to him from Dr H More, who says, some three months before, he had received it from the parties own mouth, that was at the haunted house in Bow, and saw the motion of the bedstaves and tobacco pipe, etc. And I very well remember, that about thirty or forty years ago, there was a great fame of an house haunted at Bow, and such like feats, as this spectator saw, was rumoured of it, and the time agrees with that of this spectator or eye-witness of the above recited feats. And a book was then said to be printed, though I never saw any but one of late without any date of the year, the things then being in Fieri, where it was printed. And they seem to refer to the same haunted place, though the pamphlet names Plaisto for Bow. But the haunting of which the same went so many years ago I very well remember was Bow. But whether Bow was talked of instead of Plaisto, it being a place near, and of more note, I know not. And Paul Fox, a weaver, was the man whose house was haunted in Plaisto according to that pamphlet.
If the Gentleman that so well remembers the strange things he saw, had not forgot the man’s name whose house was haunted (and the strangeness of those things would fix themselves in his memory, even whether he would or no, when the name of the Master of the house might easily in thirty or forty years time slide out of it) we might be sure whether it were Plaisto or Bow. But I am sure the same went of Bow, though the pamphlet name Plaisto, and that might make the abovesaid party, who told Dr More the story, fix the scene without all scruple in Bow.
But methinks I hear the Reader complain, that it was a great omission in Mr Glanvil, that he did not inquire of Dr More who this party was that told him the story, it seeming an headless piece without that part. Wherefore I find in a paper (whose title is Doctor More’s Particulars about the Stories) these words in answer to Mr Glanvil. That it is Dr Gibbs a prebendary of Westminster, and a sober intelligent person. And some dozen lines after, Dr More says, Dr Gibbs told the story to myself, and to Dr Outram, who brought me to him. And I have told you already, that he is a person of understanding and integrity. He has also some sermons in print as I take it.
But forasmuch as it was about three months after Dr More had received this account of the story from Dr Gibbs, that he wrote to Mr Glanvil, it is not to be expected that he related it in the very same words, and in every punctilio as he heard it. But I dare undertake for him that for the main, and that which makes to the evincing of Witchcraft, and the ludicrous Feats of Daemons, that he hath committed no error therein, nor set down anything whose substance was not related to him by the Reverend Dr Gibbs.
Saducismus Triumphatus: or, full and plain evidence concerning witches and apparitions. In two parts. The first treating of their possibility, the second of their real existence. By Joseph Glanvil, late chaplain in ordinary to his Majesty, and Fellow of the Royal Society. With a letter of Dr Henry More on the same subject. And an authentick, but wonderful story of certain Swedish witches; done into English by Anth. Horneck, preacher at the Savoy.
London: Printed for J. Collins at his shop under the Temple Church, and S. Lownds at his shop by the Savoy-gate, 1681.