They write from Bristol that a sham Ghost is playing tricks there; and that a house near Lawford’s Gate is haunted by a mischievous Devil, who pinches the children there, and won’t let them sleep quiet in their beds.
Leeds Intelligencer, 16th February 1762.
To the Public.
If the characters of honest men have ever been looked upon as sacred; and the authors of aspersion, as a species of murderers; what excuse can be devised, sufficient to alleviate the guilt of a set of men, who without any proof, but instigated by the wantonness of their own imagination, have not only pretended to believe themselves, but endeavoured all they could, to make others believe with them, that the late afflicting dispensations of Providence in my family were nothing more than tricks, invented and carried on by me, to answer such purposes as I hope in the course of this address to prove to be altogether as false as they are scandalous?
Who, by their infamous insinuations, have excited the public odium against me, blasted the peace and reputation of my family, and, with a pleasure full of cruelty, triumphed in their success! And yet, strange as it is, the authority of such as these has been able to find acceptance with but too many; whilst the testimonies of the sober, the conscientious of their ways, and the friends of truth, have everywhere been branded with contempt, and rejected as the effects of an unreasonable credulity!
Was my situation in life like that of a private person only, it might, perhaps, have been as well, according to my first resolution, to pass over in silence the injuries I sustain from the prejudices of mankind, as openly to attempt a vindication of my innocence; but finding the reports rather continue to increase than subside, and the bread, as well as the repose of my family, not a little depending on the public esteem, it behoves me for their sakes, as well as my own, to attempt at least to wipe off the calumny my enemies have so unjustly cast upon me. This I shall endeavour to do by making some few remarks upon the occasion of all the clamour raised against me, submitting to the decision of every impartial and unprejudiced mind, how far I deserve to be stigmatised as I am by my enemies, with the hard name of an imposter.
The charge my accusers bring against me is: That I, having learnt that the Lamb Inn, where I live, was to be sold, had insinuated abroad, on purpose to prevent others from offering for it at the time of the sale, that the house was haunted by witches; and had taught some of my children to act in such a manner, as to make those who came to see them believe it really was so.
That some of my children have been, and still are afflicted in a strange and unaccountable manner, is undoubtedly true; but that it either is, or ever has been by any contrivance or permission of mine, is altogether false, and even a very foolish supposition.
With respect to buying of the house, I do, in the presence of the omniscient judge of every heart, most solemnly declare, that I did not in the least know Mr Wallington’s design to sell it till near a quarter of a year after the disturbances first began in my family; with what face then can my adversaries charge me with the contrary, and of contriving schemes to keep others from buying it?
But, even admitting their pretence false, as it is, how could such a scheme be thought possible to answer the supposed end? For who would have been afraid of purchasing a house, because two little children had been afflicted in it in some strange manner? That it was only the children, and not the house, that was haunted, appeared evidently by the affliction following them to the other end of the city, when they were removed thither, and continued with them all the while they stayed there, which was a full month.
Surely, if the house had been the thing aimed at, the artificial devil would never have been such a fool, as to go away with the children, when all the business he had to do was to be done in the house. But such absurdities as these, surely none but the malevolent are able to swallow!
But what shall I say of the nature of the affliction itself; the source of all the outcry against me; or how be able to account for the ways of providence, in permitting it to happen in my family. Here I confess myself to be totally at a stand; unable to go a step further! The mystery is too great for me to attempt to fathom, and therefore all I can do, is to declare with the utmost sincerity of my heart, that I verily believe it to be, not the effect of any human, but of an invisible and supernatural power, call it by what name you will.
That the circumstances of it are of a very extraordinary and uncommon nature, not only above the capacity of children, but even all human contrivance, can be testified not only by me, and all the people of my family, but by many other very reputable people in this city, amongst whom are gentlemen of as great veracity, good understanding, and sound judgement, as any among those, who censuring their credulity, would be thought to know, though unable to prove, that such sort of things are quite impossible. And although some of them, before they came, might be as firmly riveted in the unbelief of it, as any of the fiercest of my adversaries can pretend to be, yet saw enough, before they went away, at least to shake their incredulity, if not to be as thoroughly convinced as the rest were. For who, indeed, but either fools or madmen, can hold out long against the evidence of their own senses?
It must certainly appear quite incomprehensible to every sober and unprejudiced mind, how a couple of little girls, either by themselves, or with the help of accomplices, should be able for whole months together so artfully to contrive, and cunningly to manage their operations, as always to cheat the eyes and understandings of so many watchful observers, as constantly attended, with every liberty and opportunity granted them, to direct their searches in whatever manner they thought proper.
But to solve this insolvable difficulty, some of my ingenious opponents, who choose not to appear nonplused on any occasion, have been forced to suppose that all (how unblemished forever their characters might be) that owned themselves convinced by their experience of the reality of what they saw, were converted (or rather conjured, I suppose they mean) into abettors and helpers to carry on the pretended scheme! A supposition so gross, and regardless of all right and wrong, that one might justly wonder how any thing but the influences of the moon could possibly help them to make it. And what is still stranger, such sensible gentlemen as these can, without the least tincture of a blush, gravely reprove others for the greatness of their credulity!
Others again, with somewhat more modesty, have thought themselves able to get over the difficulty by supposing it to be nothing more than a mere deception of the senses, performed by these little artists (the children) in the manner of legerdemain or slight of hand, like Germanicus’s exhibitions at the Exchange. But unluckily for such, they appeal to an art, essentially defective in one of the most material circumstances, when considered as parallel with the case at the Lamb Inn. For granting with Mr — that the surprising Germanicus is able to perform many feats, so as to deceive with the nimbleness of his hands the eyes of his astonished spectators; yet did they ever venture so far as to say, they could not perceive who it was that performed them? If this has never been the case, might it not be justly said, that the hurry his judicious friend was in to condemn, had fairly gotten the start of his understanding, when he helped the public to such a striking comparison between the performance of his admired Germanicus , and those at the Lamb Inn? Where the spectators, with their eyes steadfastly fixed upon the suspected agents, could never yet perceive that they did anything else than keep themselves very still and quiet, unless when agitated (as sometimes they evidently were) in a compulsive manner.
And may it not also without offence reasonably be asked, what good excuse that learned gentleman can find to plead, who with the Bible in his hand, and no doubt heaven in his heart, could so cordially dip his pen in detraction and defamation?
That the senses are liable to be deceived, and many times are so, every man of experience must be forced to own; and is it not just the same with reason also? Will any man venture to affirm (unless it be some of my wise accusers) that his reason has never been deceived or led him into any error a more deliberate enquiry discovers to him? If then both reason and the senses may be at times equally fallacious, what criterion can be fixed upon, that will always be sufficient to determine when either of them rightly informs us? Why, if any man knows a better (and such I have to produce), than the concurring testimonies of credible disinterested witnesses, in cases that concern the senses, he ought in justice to mankind to communicate it.
But the point in question, with respect to the affair at my house, is not so much whether the senses are liable to be deceived, as whether or not the senses of so many inquisitive people, as have at different times been witnesses there, actually were, or possible could be deceived?
A very ordinary capacity may indeed be able to say (and perhaps the forwardest to swear too, if need be), that certainly they must be deceived, and it cannot possibly be otherwise; whilst with an emphatic shake of the noddle, a contemptuous sneer, or some other infallible signs of knowledge, he fancies he makes it as plainly appear so to others, as he thinks he does to himself.
But I defy the united strength of the whole body of rationalists, either here or anywhere else, to prove it to be so by fairness of argument. This nobody as yet has ever pretended to do; and until it shall be done by somebody or other, I hope the public will no longer think it reasonable, that bold assertions instead of facts and suppositions, instead of arguments, should be obtruded upon them, as has hitherto been done, in order to support the slanderous charge of imposture, that the malice of some, and the ignorance of others, have endeavoured to fasten upon me.
Richard Giles.
Bristol, May 7, 1762.
Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette, 13th May 1762.
https://data.historicaltexts.jisc.ac.uk/view?pubId=ecco-0917900200
Curious Local “Ghost” Lore.
About a hundred to a hundred and twenty years ago Bristol and its neighbourhood enjoyed supernatural sensations to a degree not known here in the present practical day. Two of them, the ghost story of the Lamb inn and the Bewitched Lukins, which are compiled from authentic sources, cannot fail to amuse the present generation, while they help to illustrate manners and feeling in former ages.
The Ghosts At The Lamb Inn.
The curious in ghost lore may still be gratified by the perusal of a strange but now very rare pamphlet, printed in 1800, and from the pen of a Mr Henry Durbin, chemist, of this city, who professes to have been an eye and ear witness of the principal facts which he relates. It is entitled, “A Narrative of some extraordinary things that happened to Mr Richard Giles’s children at the Lamb without Lawford’s-gate, Bristol, supposed to be the effect of witchcraft.”
The chemist, at any rate, seems to have been unable in this instance to analyse the truth, for he went down to his grave evidently under the impression that the two young girls were influenced by some uncontrollable spell, being haunted – themselves and the room in which they slept – by invisible agents that scratched them and made awful noises; and these sounds and sights continued for the space of a couple of years, until exorcism by means of a wise woman residing at Bedminster was had recourse to, and the visitation ceased. The father of the children, who went by th ename of Molly and Dobby, was the proprietor of a fly wagon between Bristol and London, and was generally exonerated from having any share in the imposture which it is evident was carried on by these artful children, at the instance of their mother and grandmother, it is asserted by other and shrewder authorities, for no less practical purpose than to depreciate the value of the Lamb inn, which the latter wished to purchase, and succeeded in so doing at an uncommonly low rate, since, in an age addicted to such popular delusions, few would be disposed to buy a tenement nightly visited by malignant ghosts terrifying and tormenting the inmates.
Poor Richard Giles himself, the father, succumbed under the impish persecutions; for his horses were performing such pranks that they were declared to have been bewitched by a rival carrier, who could not bear an opposition conveyance on the road, now traversed by some dozen trains daily dispatched by the Great Western Railway Company. We learn that the poor haunted carrier was an object of such fearful curiosity along the road, both on his own account and that of his enchanted house and children, that between home discomforts and public notoriety he sickened and died, while the noises and the scratchings, and other indications resembling those of the ghost at Epworth parsonage (see Southey’s Life of Wesley) were going on. But his lamentable fate only added new force to the imposture, as he was said to have fallen under the anger of the invisible powers of demonland.
It is now nearly one hundred and twenty years – namely, in November, 1761,- since the Lamb affair commenced, and at the time excited great sensation, not only amongst the marvel-loving lower classes, who flocked out to Lawford’s-gate on Sundays and week-day evenings to view the house where all these wonders were being enacted – probably greatly to the increase of the trade in spirits so far as the bar of the hostelry itself was concerned – but amongst those also who ought to have known better.
Nor should it seem so very outrageous that thousands and thousands of people who could read and write firmly believed a demoniacal agency at work in the matter, when we consider that a belief in witchcraft was then so commonly entertained that even magistrates committed innocent old women to prison on the charge of practising the malignant art upon their neighbours.
No doubt, there being collusion between so many members of the Giles family, they contrived for awhile to puzzle people who did not closely investigate the matter, so that the tricks of Miss Molly and Dobby so infatuated some folks that the then rector of St Weburgh’s, the Rev. Mr Symes, an amiable but manifestly weak man, one Sunday, while the haunting furore was at its height, astonished the congregation by asking their prayers “for two children grievously tormented.” The parishioners in this case would seem to haave had more wisdom than their pastor, for instead of complying with this request, they rose and quitted the church in a body.
Evans, the outliner of the History of Bristol, tells us that in his day there was a tradition that the children were disenchanted in a much more sturdy and unromantic fashion than by the intervention of a cunning woman.
There then lived at Wick Court, near this city, a Mr Haynes, whose lady seems to have had a strong hand and head. From occasionally halting her carriage horses at the Lamb, Mrs H had some acquaintance with “the afflicted family,” and, pretending to credit the story, she had Molly and Dobby out to the Court for a change of air, and to see if their invisible tormentors would give the little things a holiday from hobgoblin troubles for awhile. However, in this she was disappointed for, in the middle of the night, the same noises that haunted the sleeping apartment of the children of the Lamb were heard from their chamber, which was situated on a middle floor of the Court, and where both slept in one bed. Strong minded Mrs Haynes, who lay awake eagerly watching for the ghostly demonstrations, no sooner heard these sounds in the dead of the night, than she hastened to the children’s apartment. On visiting their bed, however, Miss Molly was not there; search was accordingly made for her, when the missing maiden was discovered in an upper room with newly-inflicted scratches on her body.
Upon this, Mrs Haynes, nothing daunted by the presence of ghostdom, proceeded to act upon the homeopathic principle that “like expels like”, so instantly procuring a stout birch broom, she added to Miss Molly’s supernatural scratches by some very natural ones, and gave her such a smart whipping then and there that a thorough cure was from that day effected, whatever devil possessed the child evidently not liking such prompt and sharp treatment. Perhaps, too, the experiment was all the more successful owing to Molly’s grandmother having by that time completed the purchase of the Lamb, and got hold of the house by as strong a right as lawyers parchment could give her, so that there was no longer an object in carrying on the imposture.
[after this, a description of the Lukins case]
Bristol Times and Mirror, 1st October 1881.
The old “Lamb Inn” in West Street is now being demolished. In 1761, it came into notoriety owing to supernatural disturbance in the house. It is impossible to refrain from a sigh of regret at seeing another of the “bits of old Bristol” being brought to the ground.
Clifton and Redland Free Press, 18th August 1905.
A narrative of some extraordinary things that happened to Mr Richard Giles’s children, at The Lamb, without Lawford’s-Gate, Bristol, supposed to be the effect of Witchcraft. By the Late Mr Henry Durbin, Chymyst, who was an eye and ear witness of the principal facts herein related. Bristol, 1800.
Preface.
The following narrative is, perhaps, one of the most extraordinary and best authenticated of any ever yet laid before the public, on a similar subject. In an age naturally inclined to infidelity, it requires some courage in a man to stand up against the current of public opinion, to express his conviction that there is a spiritual world, and that its inhabitants, through the inscrutable economy of divine providence, are permitted at certain times, to manifest themselves in a variety of ways to the children of men.
The wisest and best men that have ever adorned human nature, have believed in the existence of Witchcraft; and have thought it possible, that an illicit commerce might subsist between men, and spirits of different orders. In proof of this, a variety of facts have been appealed to, in different ages and countries. Many of these have stood the most rigid test of critical examination. Others were found to be impostures, set on foot for the emolument of the parties concerned; or framed expressly for the purpose of exposing the doctrine to ridicule, if not to strike at the foundation of the Sacred Writings, where the certainty of the thing is announced in the most formal manner.
Indeed, ever since Bekker of Amsterdam, published his work entitled, Le Monde enchante (The World bewitched) in 1694, it has been supposed that the whole system was ruined; and that the Devil himself was proved to be a nonentity. This certainly served the interests of the kingdom of darkness. Where the being, malice and subtlety of Satan are credited, watchfulness against his devices, and dependance on the Most High, are felt indispensibly necessary; but where his existence and prayer can scarcely be considered even as predential means of safety, as it would be ridiculous to fear, where no cause of fear existed.
Mr Durbin, the author of the following narrative, and uncle to Sir John Durbin, one of the present worthy Aldermen of this city, was one of the most respectable characters in Bristol. His inviolable attachment to truth, his unblemished uprightness, his widely extended charity (for he invariably, from the time he entered into business till his last decade in 1799, gave a tenth of his ample annual income to the poor), his probity in the concerns of his calling, and his genuine and unaffected piety to God, rendered him deservedly dear to all who had the happiness of his acquaintance. When he first heard of the strange transactions at Lawford’s-Gate, he went through a principle of critical curiosity to detect and expose what he deemed to be imposture.
The means he made use of to effect this end are sufficiently detailed in the narrative; and show such prudential caution, and rigid critical examination, proceeded in with the most patient perseverance for a great length of time, as no trick or imposture could have possibly shielded itself from. The result was, what every man of sense must expect, that Mr Durbin was firmly persuaded the whole business was the effect of supernatural agency; and as such he fully believed it till his dying day.
But Mr Durbin was not the sole examiner in this business: several clergymen of learning and piety, and gentlemen of considerable abilities, some of whom were professed deists, searched into these matters also: and Mr Durbin has been often heard to say, that they were all fully convinced that there could be no imposture in the case.
And who that reads the narrative, and considers the unblemmished character of the author, can believe otherwise?
It may be asked, “If Mr Durbin was so well convinced of the truth of these transactions, why did he not publish the narrative in his life-time?” This he was often urged to do by many friends, to whom he related all these circumstances, with several others not mentioned in the narrative; to all of whom he regularly gave one answer, which in substance was as follows: “The present is an age of Infidelity – men scoff at spiritual things – if they believe not Moses and the Prophets, Christ and the Apostles, they will not, of course, believe my feeble testimony concerning a world which it may be their interest to discredit. When I first engaged in the examination of this business, I was abused in the public papers, for what was termed my credulity. Should I publish the narrative, the same abuse would be revived, and I wish to live and die in peace with all men. It will doubtless be published after my death, and the matter will then speak for itself.”
Till within a few years of his death, he preserved the glass and pins mentioned page 31, &c. which he often showed to his particular friends. Such forms as the pins were crooked into, the Editor believes never met the human eye. There was scarcely a known form in nature that corresponded to any of them. It would have tortured the ingenuity of man to have even imitated them, much more, to have invented the vast variety of fantastic figures which several scores of these pins exhibited. To describe them is impossible, and to paint them equally so. The glass, which was an old-fashioned one, has been shown to several, and it was nipped round at the foot in the manner described page 14.
One circumstance not mentioned in the narrative, but which Mr Durbin told to some select friends, should not pass unnoticed here: viz. his often repeated request to the Spirit, as it was termed, to favour him with an interview; and the at least partial gratification of this request. He offered to meet it in any place, at any time, and on any terms consistent with his character as a Christian. Having appointed it a time, he went into a private place, and adjured it in the most solemn manner, to show itself in any form, or way it thought proper.
After a short time spent in waiting, a loud knocking took place on the opposite side of the wainscot, (it was at night, and the place in deep darkness.) Lifting his eyes towards the place where the noise seemed to be, he discovered a coloured luminous appearance, of a circular form, about the size of a common plate: the colours resembled those of the rainbow; the brighter ones were extremely vivid, and deeply shaded with the red, blue and indigo. The writer believes that Mr D said, he then asked some questions, but what they were, he cannot now recollect.
Thus much the Editor has thought necessary to say, by way of preface. He hopes it will not be supposed, from the publication of this Narrative, that he intends to enter the lifts with unbelievers in general, or with those who might wish to shake the credit of facts, such as those related in this pamphlet: he has no such design: he is willing that every man should abound in his own opinion; being convinced, that they have the same right to disbelieve relations of Witchcraft, &c. in general, as he has to credit those which he believes to be sufficiently authenticated. He thinks the following is a clear case, and that from it, every impartial reader will draw the following conclusion: Either this is a real case of Supernatural Agency: or, Mr Durbin has knowingly imposed on the world, and gone into eternity professing to believe what he knew to be false. But in this case, Mr D’s character swears for him; and will for ever preclude, with all who knew him, the possibility of such an imputation.
Some alteration might have been made in the Latin and Greek questions to render them more elegant; but except the correction of a few gross errors (probably those of the transcriber), it was thought proper to leave them in the main, just as they were found in Mr D’s manuscript.
Bristol, Dec. 19, 1800.
An Account of Disturbances, &c. at the Lamb, without Lawford’s -Gate.
December 18, 1761, hearing that Mr Giles’s children, Miss Molly and Dobby, were afflicted in an extraordinary manner, for a fortnight past, I went there this day, and saw Molly sewing, and found she had marks on her arms given on a sudden, like the marks of a thumb-nail; which I am satisfied she could not do herself. As I watched her, I saw the flesh pressed down whitish, and rise again, leaving the print of a fingernail, the edges of which grew red afterwards. The girl complained that it came with the force of a finger, hurted her much, and smarted after.
I inquired of Mr Giles, when this first took place; he said, “On Friday the 13th of November last, the children being all in bed in the moring, something scratched violently at the window and bed’s-head, and they were so frightened, that they jumped out of bed and ran down stairs.” – As nothing of this kind occurred till about three weeks afterwards, the father and mother thought it was the pigeons that had made a noise at the window.
Sunday, Dec. 6. This became more violent, and continued every day, scratching and knocking. Several persons said they saw the finger of a hand near the children. Mr Giles told me, he then thought it to be tricks of the servants, and would find it out, as it began about five in the morning, and when they went to bed it was more violent than in the daytime. He went into the children’s room once, to detect the servants if possible. He first saw the cover of a box move up and down several times, which he examined, but saw no cause of it. While he was observing it, the cover moved again, till it fell to the ground; then the box, with the child’s clothes in it, moved several times, till it turned over, and threw the clothes on the floor. This startled him.
At night he determined to take Molly from the maids, to be with himself in a room not commonly used. He told me he looked under the bed, and took a hanger with him. As soon as he was in bed with his daughter, she cried out she was pinched on her legs and feet; and the clothes he found were pulled off the bed several times, and the child said she saw the hand that did it. He then put the hanger into her hand to cut it; she cried out, it was pulling the hanger out of her hand, and he saw it pulled out of her hand and thrown on the floor. He then made her hold it with both her hands, and it was pulled out again and thrown on the floor. He was then fully convinced that it was preternatural; and took the child to the maid’s bed again.
Saturday, Dec. 19, I went with —, we saw the impression of the nail but once in three hours.
The 22nd, I went in the afternoon, and Molly complained she was hindered in her knitting. I desired her to try; she did, but nothing happened. Soon after she said she saw three dirty fingers, and pointed where, and presently she had several marks of the nails impressed with force on her arms, so that she cried out. I was looking on her arms at the very time. I bid her take her knitting again, she did: I saw the needles pulled gently by tugs, almost out of the stitches of the stocking seven times, and hang only by a few stitches. I could see the needles below her fingers, and sideways quivering to the end of the stitches, and though I tried by a gentle pull, I did not move them, as she knitted pretty tight. I am convinced she could not do it by any slight of hand, as she stopped when it was going, and told me, and I saw the needle move afterwards to the end; but it did not fall entirely out of the stitches, which I heard it did many times in the day before; and once it pulled all the needles out, and flung them under the grate.
Thursday the 24th, I went with —, and at the door we met Mrs —, and another person going in. We heard they had had the usual beating of the tattoo, &c. in the morning, and a scratching like as by birds’ claws in the bed. They said they were sure the children could not do it, as they held their hands all the while. The curtains moved up and down, as if drawn by pullies. Things were thrown over the bed, and the chamber-pot whirled round the room several times, and several other things done contrary to the course of nature.
We desired Molly who was most troubled, to take her knitting; she did, and it was pulled from her as before. She sat on a chair in the midst of the room by daylight, and we four sat round her to watch her narrowly, to find out any trick, if possible. We saw the needles pulled away thirteen times, and were certain she could not do it herself, but it seemed to be done by an invisible power. We found when we touched any needle, it did not move, but another moved, and when touched, all the stitches were drawn up in a heap, so that she could not work. We all were certain we were not deceived, as it was daylight, and she stopped every time the needles began to move, and we saw them move clean off her fingers.
Thursday the 31st, my sister and I went in the morning, and saw some of the prints of fingernails; heard a little clawing on the ground, and saw Molly’s head beat against the window-shutter with great force. We were told how the great table was, by an invisible power, turned quite upside down, with the four legs upwards, twice in an hour, in presence of three or four persons. The carpet that was on it being laid smooth on the floor in an instant, as if placed so by two men. I think by the size of the table, two men could scarcely turn it over.
Mr — saw a chair move from the wall and fall down. Mr — was sitting in the room, with Mr Giles and others, and they saw the poker and shovel rise from the chimney, and seemed to be thrown to the other end of the room. a key that was hanging up came five yards and struck Mr Giles on the head. Both the children had slaps on their cheeks frequently, which were heard by people in the room.
Jan. 2, 1762, I went and met there Mr —, and several other gentlemen. We went into a room called the George, and saw the children pinched with the impressions of nails, and the children said they saw the hand that did it. There was a loud knocking against the table, and I saw the chair move, on which Molly sat, so as almost to throw her down. Dobby cried, the hand was about her sister’s throat, and I saw the flesh at the side of her throat pulled in, whitish, as if done with fingers, though I saw none. Her face grew red and blackish presently, as if she was strangled; but without any convulsion or contraction of the muscles. We went to her, and I touched her head; it went off in a moment, and she was well, which could not have taken place had it been the effect of a natural disorder. Soon after, Molly was struck twice on the head, and we all heard it.
The 3d, they told me a silver dobbin had been flung at them, nobody being near the place where it came from. It (I mean the invisible agent) had now a new trick. Whenever Molly drank tea, or any liquor, it threw it about. She could carry the dish steady to her mouth, but when she went to sip, it pushed her elbow, and thew it about. She could sip at an empty dish several times, without any job, which proved it was no convulsion. I tried both her hands with the tea, and it was the same. If I touched her elbow with my finger her head was pushed into the cup. If I touched her head and elbow while she drank, she was pinched in her neck behind: the mark of which I saw.
She then went to drink some water out of a silver cup; I held the candle close to the cup to watch, and see if I could discern any thing that did it. The cup received a sudden stroke, and I heard it tingle loud with the slap, and the water was thrown up into her face with equal force; but I saw nothing that did it. If she wrote, her hand would be beat away, as if by a blow on her elbow.
Mr Giles and the servants told me, that Dobby was standing by the fire with three or four persons, at ten o’clock yesterday morning, and suddenly she disappeared. The father and mother were in great distress, seeking for her above an hour; she was at length found under a bed, and her father with difficulty pulled her out, as he found a resistance. She then cried aloud, but could not before. The child told me (she was about eight years old) that her mouth was stopped, and she carried up stairs and thrust under the bed, and held there all the time, but she saw nothing.
Tuesday the 5th, at one o’clock in the afternoon, Dobby was carried away again, and it was near half an hour before they found her. I came in just at the time. The child looked very much frightened; her face dirty, some small feathers of the bed, under which she was found, were sticking to it, and her neck pinched. She told me, that a woman in a ragged dress, put her hand before her mouth, so that she could not cry out, and carried her upstairs in sight of the people (as she thought), and that her feet did not touch the floor; that the woman had a brown chip had on, a ragged cap, and a brown gown: she told her, she would torment her ten times worse in five days time, and cried, a witch! a witch! several times, and threw her under the bed, and lay down by her, and pinched her neck. Dobby said, she saw great holes in her stockings, but had no power to cry out till she was found.
I also went this day at eight in the morning. While I sat in the bar, I heard a rolling over my head, which they said was the chamber-pot, as usual, rolling round the room, whilst the children were at prayers, which many have seen. I went up, and th enurse went up to show me where the great knockings were last night, by the children’s bed; on my left hand was a sash window; about three feet from the window, was a case of drawers, on the drawers stood a wine-glass, which I saw glitter in the sun, and was astonished to see it rise from the drawers without hands. It rose gradually about a foot, perpendicularly from the drawer; then the glass seemed to stand, and therefupon inclined backwards, as if a hand had held it; it was then flung with violence about five feet, and struck the nurse on the hip a hard blow, so that I heard it give a loud report. (The maid that saw the bruise, said it was black and blue the next day.). The woman cried out immediately how she was hurt. There was no person near the drawers when it rose; the children were standing by me who saw it, and ran to the other end of the room, fearing it would be flung at them, as things generally were.
I was so amazed at it, that I said, “Do I see, what I see?” I then thought I would examine the glass, whether there were any wires or hairs tied to it. I then took up the glass from the floor, and found no wires nor anything else; but the glass was quite whole, except that the foot of it was borken, as if pincers had pinched it all round. – This was about nine in the morning, clear day-light, close by a sash window.
Presently after I was talking with Molly, she had a cup in her hand; my eye was fixed on the cup, at the instant that something snatched it from her, and threw it above four feet, though her hand did not move.
Wednesday the 6th, I went at nine in the evening, and was told that Molly and Dobby had seen the woman that afternoon, and had been beat several tiems by her. At ten they went to bed, soon after they cried out that they were scratched and pinched much. – We beat the bed, if possible to quiet the children, and something squeaked several times, like a large rat caught by a cat. After that, seven of us being there in the room, Molly said she was bit in the arm; and presently Dobby cried out the same. We saw their arms bitten above twenty times that evening. Their arms were put out of bed, and they lay on their backs. They could not do it themselves, as we were looking on them the whole time. We examined the bites, and found on them the impression of eighteen or twenty teeth, with saliva, or spittle, all over them, in the shape of a mouth, almost all of them very wet, and the spittle smoaking, as if just spit out of the mouth. I took up some of it on my finger to try the consistence of it, and Mr — did the same, and we found it clammy, like spittle, and it smelt rank.
After that, I heard it beat very loud, and scratched louder on the sacking of the bed than any human hands could do; yet when we turned up the bedclothes nothing was to be seen. It played the tattoo as well, as distinct as ever I heard a drummer.
Thursday the 7th, I was there with three gentlemen, when Molly and Dobby were in bed; it began beating and scratching as usual, and bit them above ten times, leaving the spittle on the bite; I took some of it to smell to, and it smelled very strong, as before. Their backs and shoulders were bit while they lay on them, which put it out of doubt they did not do it themselves, I heard the slaps on Molly’s breast several times. She cried out that she was bit on her breast; I took a candle, and looked closely on her breast, I could hear the slaps of a hand very loud, but I could not see anything that did it.
It is not easy for reason or philosophy to account for all this in a natural way. After we had seen sufficient to convince us, it was not done by any visible power, and the children were roaring out for the pain of the pinches and bites, I begged the gentlemen to assist in screening the children from their torments. I took a cloth and wiped off from their arms nearly a teacupful of spittle; their hands being out of bed, I took a petticoat and covered over their hands and arms with it, and held it down close on them, to defend them if possible; but they cried out they were bitten worse than before, under my hand; I pulled off the petticoat, and we saw fresh bites, with the spittle in several places, though we covered them so closely. Dobby was bitten most, and with deeper impressions than Molly. the impression of the teeth on their arms formed an oval, which measured two inches in length.
The 9th, the invisible tormentor threw a cup at the nurse, and rolled the chamber-pot round the room, while the children were at prayers. As soon as they were in bed, I saw two bites, and its operations began to be very violent by pinching and biting; but a clergyman went to prayers, and it ceased directly, and was quiet all night.
Sunday the 10th, in the morning, the maid, nurse and two children saw a hand and arm, which knocked very loud, and scratched and pinched the children. At eleven o’clock they crossed the water to the Great Gardens, and went to Mr Lowdin’s house, the cuutler, which was furnished with his goods, knowing that if it continued, it would be a clearer evidence that it was no imposture. They had no disturbance till Tuesday the 12th, when just after a great storm, there was a knocking at the case of drawers, which was repeated every morning and evening, till Saturday evening; it beat the tattoo softly. Sunday morning it pinched Dobby by the nose, and Molly by the toe, and spoke in both their ears three times, saying “I’ll follow you.” Dobby saw a hand and arm.
Tuesday the 19th, it pulled Dobby by the nose, and gave Molly a hard blow on the head, but did not yet affect them in the daytime. A brush seemed to be carried, rather than thrown, from the stairs to the other side of the room.
Wednesday morning it struck Molly on the head, and tried to throw down a chair, by shaking it a quarter of an hour, Mrs Elmes and the nurse looking on all the while.
Thursday the 21st, it bit Molly’s arm, and she cried she was pricked with pins, when they found four in her belly, leg and neck. It threw down a chair twice, and a little table once. Mrs Elmes (the grandmother) saw it heave the great saucepan which was on the fire, with water in it, and dashed the water up and down two or three times. It said to the nurse, “damme,” two or three times aloud; and tore Molly’s black cap in two places, that was on her head, and her white pillorine was torn whilst on her neck, in their sight.
Friday, it ran a pin into her leg, so that it was difficult to pull it out, it was so crooked. Mr Giles came in the evening, while I was there, and said he would take Dobby with him to Lawford’s Gate, to try if it would be quiet there. They had not been gone above four minutes before it spoke to Molly, and said, “Well, good night to you,” and gave her a great pinch in her back, and did not trouble her any more that night, nor the next morning. But it followed Dobby to Lawford’s Gate.
Thursday morning, I went thither to inquire, and found that at six o’clock it began knocking and scratching (in Mr Giles’s house, at Lawford’s Gate) softly, and afterwards beat the tattoo very loud, bit Dobby’s arms, and pinched three pinches on her breast, with three fingers at once; after she came down it bit her twice. She was pinched in four places at once, so deep that the blood came. They then sent her back to the Great Gardens. Just before Dobby came back, I was with Molly in the Great Gardens, and Molly cried out she heard something pant as if out of breath, which seemed very odd, and presently was pinched in the neck; but it had but little power over Dobby then. It bit Molly two or three times, and in the evening ran crooked pins into diverse parts of her body. I pulled one out of her back, and another out of her arm. She cried out whenever she was pricked. Those pins were just stuck into the skin for the blood to start, but no deeper.
Saturday the 23d, Mrs Elmes spoke to the invisible tormenter, when it was knocking and scratching, and said, “Art thou a witch? if so, give scratches;” which it did. This was the first time of asking any questions. It beat Molly’s breast at the same time. I went there at noon with Mr —, he sat down, and Molly stood before him, talking to him. The stair-case opened into the room where we were: presently a great noise was heard at the top of the stairs, it seemed to come down every stair with a scuffling noise, as if it had slippers on. It startled us a little, expecting to see something come down. the scuffling noise came down to the bottom stair, and though we looked earnestly on, we saw nothing.
Immediately a crooked pin was stuck in Molly’s neck behind, which, as she stood, was near Mr —‘s face. He had a difficulty to pull it out, the hair was so woven round it. At night I pulled a very crooked pin out of Molly’s leg. A patten was thrown at Molly in the necessary, which struck her on the forehead; I saw it dirty, but she was not hurt. I saw some prints of nails on her arm, as if done with greasy fingers. It tore her linen cap twice, so that it hung in four quarters. The last time, she found like two hands tear it. By asking questions this morning, it answered that Mr — had employed it. Mrs Elmes and the children heard it cry out, “Jee woah,” as waggoners used to say in driving horses.
Sunday, Jan. the 24th, it began in the morning to knock and scratch as usual. Nurse asked, Why it did torment them? But it made no answer. She asked if it lived without Lawford’s Gate? It answered, “Yes:” and answered also some other questions. Mrs — said in haste, “She is a liar, don’t ask the lying old whore any more questions:” (it had answered before, it was a woman witch) it answered aloud, for them all to hear, “no more than yourself; kiss my arse:” and they heard her smack her bottom aloud several times; presently after it smacked Molly’s bottom very loud, which made her cry out much.
It had carried away a collar of a shirt, and a knitting needle from Molly. They asked, “If it would bring them again?” It said, No. At ten o’clock I went; Molly cried she was pricked in her neck. I took out the pin, and gave it to Molly to look at it; she said she was pricked again in the same place, I looked directly, and found another crooked pin in the same place; and as I took one out just before, I am certain it could not have been put there by any visible power. I took one out of her leg, and another out of her arm.
In the evening I saw it throw the tea about as usual, I took a knife and moved it backward and forward at her elbow: then her head was pushed into the tea-cup, but if I cut over her head and elbow she drank very well. As all Molly’s caps were torn off her head, they tied on her head a handkerchief, but could not keep it on. I saw her nightcaps almost pulled off her head, while I was talking with her. I said to Mrs Elmes, that its answer ought not to be depended on, as it might put it on an innocent person. Molly started back, because it said to her, “Aye, it shall be placed on somebody;” I heard directly a laugh, ha! ha! ha! like a hollow shrill voice in a place where it echoes. Molly said, Its usual voice was in that manner; those in the room heard it distinctly. I bid it scratch as many times as it would torment the children weeks. It gave forty scratches.
Monday the 25th. At seven I heard the scratching; saw one bit on Molly’s arm: their arms were in bed, and their heads above the clothes, so that they could not do it themselves. I took a pin out of Molly’s side, I asked, If it would answer me by voice? But no answer. We fixed no answer for No before: and when it did not care to tell, it would scratch short and quick. I said, “I thou (the witch) hast a husband, scratch thrice?” No answer. “If thou art a widow, scratch thrice?” which it did very distinctly. “If thou dost this of thine own malice, scratch five times?” No answer. “If Mr — has hired thee, scratch seven times?” Which it did. Mr — and I asked the same questions afterwards, and it answered distinctly. I bid it “Scratch as many times as there were persons in the room.” It scratched seven times, which was right.
I asked it many questions, and named several parishes, to find where the woman lived. I at last said, “If thou livest at Mongotsfield, scratch five times?” which it did very distinctly. I asked, “If any of Mr Giles’s family, or servants, were concerned?” No answer, which we always fixed for No. “If Mr — alone has hired thee, scratch six times?” which it did. I said, “Scratch as many times as he has given thee guineas to do this mischief?” It immediately scratched ten times. Mr — asked the same question, and it answered in the same manner. I said, “If it was thee that stopped Mr Giles’s waggon on Hanham Hill, when he was obliged to put on ten horses before he could move it, give five scratches?” which it did; Mr Giles paid 5l. penalty for hauling with so many horses. I asked further, “If it was thou that moved the waggon, and shook it so violently, when the sack of flour fell out of it in Mr Giles’s yard, give six scratches?” which it did.
January the 26th, I went in the evening with several ladies, and others. After the children were in bed, we waited a little. Molly and Dobby were both bitten on their shoulder blades, with spittle, as they lay on their backs, and we looking at their faces at the same time. We were therefore sure they could not bite one another. Molly had two bites on her arm.
The 27th they went to Mr —‘s, and were very quiet all the day, and returned to the Great Gardens in the evening. After they were in bed, I saw one bite on Molly’s arm: but I did not stay long, that they might go to sleep. It never troubled them when asleep, till five or six in the morning, and then it would awake them with slaps on their bosoms.
The 29th, in the evening, I went with Mr. —, Molly was bit on her forehead, and Dobby on her back. Mr —asked, “If it was hired, and for how many guineas?” It scratched ten.
The 30th, at noon, I called there, and saw Molly bit on the arm, while she was rubbing the chair. I saw Dobby wiping her hands in a towel, while I was talking to her, she cried out she was bitten in the neck. I looked and saw the mark of teeth, about eighteen, and wet with spittle. It was in the top part of the shoulder, close by the neck; therefore it was impossible for her to do it to herself, as I was looking on all the time, and nobody was near her but myself.
At night I went with Mr — and met there Mr —; while the children were undressing we heard a chair thrown down with violence. Nurse ran up, and then another was thrown down; I saw the children frightened to a great degree by the violence of the blow; it did not seem possible that the children could do it themselves; neither could I ever detect them in any fraud, throughout the affair, though I often examined very narrowly. We found it would act more furiously in the dark than when there was light. Dobby was bitten twice following in the back, and it was wet with spittle. We saw their faces all the time. Molly was bitten on the arm and shoulder. While we were examining the bite on the arm, the other arm was bitten close by us in sight.
The 31st they had great knockings in the morning. At noon I went and saw Dobby bitten on the arm. Mr — was there; and while Molly was reading a prayer, she was bitten on her arm before us, it was wet with spittle.
February the 1st, the children were at my house, but nothing happened all day. At night I went to the Great Gardens with them. We saw one bite that came on Molly’s back (as she lay on her back), wet with spittle, and two bites on her arms. We were convinced it was no fraud, as we were very diligent in observing them. there was but little scratching.
The 2nd, I went there at night, with several more. Mrs — was much shocked by a great blow over her head on the wainscot. We saw six bites on their arms, with spittle. As we found it was afraid of a knife, Mr — gave Molly his penknife to hold in her hand, to cut anything, if she saw it. Molly cried out, something was pulling the top of the knife. We saw the top of the knife shake backward and forward, as if something pulled it. Mr — bid her hold the knife fast, she said, she could not. He then took the knife from her; she then cried out, she was cut in the arm with a cold knife, which was the first time of their arms being cut. We all saw the impression of a knife on her arm very deep, but no blood, which grew red and rose in a wale. We saw above twenty of these cuts given in their arms and face.
I beat the bed, and it squeaked much while I moved the knife backward and forward over the bed; the children were not hurt. I then beat at the foot of the bed, and bid the children sit upright. I then cut with a penknife behind their backs; something shrieked very oddly, as if it had been hurt. Molly cried out there was a hand and arm with a case knife in it, which ran away from her bed to the other bed, and stood at the curtain; I went there and cut at it with the knife with great force; it shrieked, and Molly said, “I had cut the arm, and that it had fallen to the ground.” After this they were quiet during the night.
Wednesday the 3rd, I went with —, and saw two bites, and six cuts, as if done with a knife, but no blood came; though it appeared as if ready to start out of the cut.
The 4th, in the evening, I went with Mr —. (He did not believe there was any invisible world, but he was fully convinced afterwards.) We heard the chair thrown down with violence, and saw four bites, and above twenty cuts, and at each the blood came out. We asked several questions, which were answered, as usual, by scratching. I asked, “How many persons it had power over to torment at this time?” It scratched six. I asked, “If it had any power to torment Mr. —‘s daughter, to scratch five times?” which it did: and, “If any power over the son that died lately?” No.
The 5th, I went with Messrs. —, and we saw three bites, with spittle, and eight cuts: blood came with one cut. I asked again, “If it did torment Mr. —‘s daughter?” it scratched, Yes; and “How many weeks before she would be cured?” it scratched four; and accordingly in a month she was cured, but left very weak. The doctor thought her incurable, and would take no fees. She used to bark four or five times, and then crow somewhat like a young cock; turning her head from the right shoulder to the left, backwards and forwards twenty times, and yet her neck not swell. I have seen her tongue pulled, as it were, out of her mouth very long, then doubled down her throat; then after having rolled on the ground in great agony, she would go about the house, as usual, or sit and sew, barking and crowing all the time. She has continued very well ever since it stopped.
In the morning they heard a voice saying, “Where’s —? where’s —?” It seemed to want to have questions asked.
At night I went with Messrs —. As they were suspicious of a fraud, they desired that two ladies of the company might put the children to bed, and none else should be in the room. they went up first, and pulled all the clothes of the bed, examined everything about the bed and room, and made the bed again. Then the children went upstairs, and they undressed them, and searched them all over, but found nothing. As soon as Mrs — had put them in bed, they were bitten three times, and had several cuts on their arms.
As Molly fell asleep soon, they all went down. As I was going away, I saw the clothes of the bed, about two feet below where the children’s feet reached, heave up, as if something was there as big as a cat; it ran up to their feet. Molly waked, and cried in a fright, her feet were pinched very hard; presently it scratched two or three scratches, and answered me several questions, in the usual manner, by scratching.
Sunday the 7th, at ten, I went and found they were dressed to go home to Lawford’s Gate, as there were no hopes of being better by staying here: besides keeping two houses was expensive. I saw Molly had silk mittens on, and while I was talking to her, she cried, she was cut on her arm; we pulled off the mittens, and two fresh cuts appeared, but no blood. I could easily see they were fresh, and had not been there before. I examined the mitten, and found it not cut at all, and yet she felt a cold knife do it, as she did before feel cold wet lips and teeth bite her under my hand, while I held down her arms.
In the evening I went to Lawford’s Gate, and Molly told me, when she came home it spoke to her, and said, “Now I have my full power:” and then she and Dobby were both cut till the blood came. When they went to bed, a chair was thrown down with force, but it did not damage the chair. Two gentlemen and myself saw above twenty cuts: out of some the blood started. I got some spirits of wine, and rubbed some on the cuts, as they were sore, but it made them worse, and they did not heal so soon as if nothing had been applied to them. We bid Molly put her arms out of bed, and we put the petticoat on them to prevent, if possible, the cuts, but could not hinder it. As we looked on, she cried out her arm was rubbed with nasty stuff; Mr — took off the coat, and saw about a teacupful of spittle rubbed over her arm, all in a lather. We were certain she could not put her hand to her mouth. Soon after she said, somewhat was washing her arm. It was out of bed, and her arm was again daubed over with spittle.
Monday, the 8th of February, in the morning, I went with —, and saw many cuts. We asked many questions, which were answered right by scratches. We asked how old Mr –‘s eldest daughter was? It scratched thirteen.. I asked the mother next day, as I did not know her age, and found it a little above thirteen. It scratched again, that it tormented her and six persons more, four of them in Bristol. Mr — came then; I purposed asking some Latin questions, which I thought would remove all suspicion of a fraud, if it answered right: but I find all evidence insufficient to convince some.
We asked as follows: Si e coelo venis ter scalpe? (If thou comest from Heaven, scratch three times?) no answer. Si ab inferno venis quater scalpe? (If thou comest from Hell, scratch four times?) it scratched four. Si spiritus familiaris es, quinquies scalpe? (If thou art a Familiar Spirit, scratch five times?) it scratched five. We varied the number, that the children might not know what we asked. Quot sumus nunc in hoc cubiculo, toties scalpe? (How many are we now in this chamber? Scratch the number) it scratched seven, which was right. Quot habet liberos, hujus familiae pater, toties scalpe? (How many children has the father of this family? Scratch the number.) it scratched eight, and right. Quot annos habet haec puella, natu maxima, toties scalpe? (How old is this eldest girl? Scratch the number) it scratched thirteen, and right. Quot habeo liberos ipse? (How many children have I?) it scratched three, and right. Quot annos habet haec puella natu minima? (How old is this youngest girl? Scratch the number) it scratched eight, and right. I thought it was wrong, as the father told me she was past seven years old; but on examining the book where her age was wrote down, they found she was past eight years of age. Si maximus est Deus, sexies scalpe? (If God be supreme, scratch six times) it scratched six.
We asked many other questions, and were answered right. At night I went with a great deal of company, but saw nothing; only Mr — pulled two pins out of Molly’s side, and we found she had been scratched and cut very much, till the blood came. I asked in the morning, How many weeks it had power over the children? it scratched thirty eight.
The 9th, I dined there with the Commissioners of the Turnpikes. Two gentlemen were accidentally holding Molly’s hands, and a fresh cut came on one of her arms. She had above forty cuts on her arms, face and neck, with the blood dried on them, and very sore. They looked very bad, and were all about two inches and a half long, and about the thickness of a shilling deep: the skin not jagged, but smooth, as if cut with a penknife.
At night I went with — but little happened. Molly said she was pricked in the side; Mr —, who was standing alone by the bedside pulled one pin out of her side. He examined her shift and bed, to see if any were there, and made her lie down with her hands out of bed; and presently she cried out, she was pricked in the same side: Mr — turned back the clothes, and found a crooked pin in the same place, with many plaits of her shift worked on it, which he was sure was not there when he took out the other. He then examined her shift and bed again, and made her lie down with her hands out of the bed, and in a minute she cried she was pricked in the same place: he looked, and was astonished to find a crooked pin in the same plast as the last: we all looked on, and were certain there was no hand in the bed, nor any motion there.
It would not answer Mr — any questions, nor scratch; but when he went out of the room it answered me two Latin questions. I cannot think why it will not scratch or answer questions to a stranger the first time, unless it intends thereby to throw a reflection on the family, as if they did it by artifice. I asked, If it would answer me any questions in Greek or Latin, to scratch five? which it did; Or any other language? it answered, It would; but I did not then ask any.
This afternoon, two of Mr Giles’s porters offered to make oath, before the Commissioners of Turnpikes, met three on business, “That at the beginning of the affair with the children, they had just unloaded a waggon of flour in Mr Giles’s yard; two sacks only remained in the waggon; two men were in teh waggon, and two below: they had fixed the drag-chain to prevent the waggon running down the hill, the horses were taken out, and on a sudden the waggon went up hill, about a yard and a half, as far as the chain would let it. the sack of flour fell down on the ground, and the waggon rocked from side to side with as much violence as if the horses were on full gallop. The two men in the waggon were obliged to hold by the tilt, lest they should be thrown down; and the two below saw the motion, as it continued two or three minutes, so that they were certain of the fact; but as nothing then had happened very extraordinary to the children, neither Mr Giles, nor the family, did believe them.”
Wednesday, the Rev. Mr — went and asked many questions in Greek and Latin, and was answered right. At night I went with the Rev. Mr —, and he was astonished to hear questions in Greek and Latin answered right. We were willing to see if it would acknowledge the great truths of Religion. We asked in Latin, Si Jesus Christus, est Deus eternus, quater scalpe? (If Christ be the eternal God, scratch four times). it scratched four, very loud. Si hos liberos protegie Dei angelus, quinquies scalpe? (If an angel of God protects these children, scratch five times) it scratched five. We asked in Latin, How many Satellites the planet Saturn had? it scratched thirteen, which was wrong; as Astronomers reckon but five {The Witch may be right for aught we know; for since Mr Durbin wrote the above, Dr Herschel has discovered two other satellites, and who can prove that the planet is not attended by six more?}.
I have sometimes asked a question and it would scratch forty or fifty times, and take no notice of my question. – It was asked in Greek, If Christ be God and Man, scratch five times. It scratched five times very loud. Several other Greek and Latin questions were asked, and answered right, which surprised us all. Mr — asked in Latin, If it would answer to its true name, if he named it? it scratched it would. He then said, Si nomen tuum Malchi est, ter scalpe? (If thy name be Malchi, scratch thrice) which it did. About sixty years ago, one Perks, of Mangotsfield, had a familiar spirit that was named Malchi, agreeable to the account written by the Rev. Mr Bedford, late Minister of Temple parish, in this city. And as it had said the woman lived at Mangotsfield, that did this mischief, it made us suppose it might be the same. We asked in Greek, How many were in the room? it answered right. It then stopped as the children fell asleep, and seldom disturbed them till five or six in the morning.
Thursday, some clergymen, and others, asked many questions in Greek and Latin, and were answered right. In the morning, one of the gentlemen proposed to it questions by whispers, and was answered. He then asked several mental questions, without opening his lips, and was answered right. Mr —, before he came, thought of going to London on Monday; and to come back directly to Bristol, without going to Oxford, or other places, as he used to do; being obliged to attend the Dean and Chapter on a certain day. He said, “If I am going out of town next week scratch four times;” and it did. “Now scratch seven times, when I name the place to which I am going.” He named York, Canterbury, Dover, Birmingham, and Taunton, where he used to go frequently, as his relations lived in those parts; but no answer, till he named London, then it scratched seven. He then bid it “scratch three, when he named the place whither he intended to go from London.” He then named Oxford, and those places mentioned before; but no answer, till he named Bristol, and then it scratched three. He went the next week to London, and back directly.
As the clock struck eleven, it spoke to Molly and said, “It is past eleven, you shall work till one o’clock and not be plagued.” It would often run the needles into her fingers, and pull the work from her, as I have seen. I stayed with her, and she was not tormented at all till the clock struck one, and then in an instant she had two cuts in her arm, from which the blood started. At night I went with the Rev. Mr —, and several others; when they came first into the room, as Molly lay down, she could not see Mr —, but she started and said that it spoke to her, and said, “There is a man in the Castle who comes to hear somewhat tonight, but he shan’t:” as Mr — and Mr — both lived in the Castle, we could not tell which it was. Mr B asked in Latin, “If Mr B offended it?” and it answered, No. “If Mr D. offends thee scratch five?” which it did very distinctly, and he went out of the room. We then asked a great many questions in Greek and Latin, and were answered right.
I was willing to ask it some mental questions, therefore desired them to stop till I had done. I asked in thought, without moving my lips, “How many children has Mr Giles?” it scratched distinctly eight, which is right. “How many children has Mr —?” it scratched four, which is right. I asked again in thought, “If — is a witch, scratch three times?” it scratched thrice, very distinctly. I asked this question some days ago, in English and Latin, but it scratched quick, as if in a passion: yet it answered it now in thought. I asked another mental question, “How old is Mr —‘s eldest daughter?” it scratched distinctly thirteen, which is right. I then turned my face towards the wall, that none might see my face, and said in thought, “How many children have I?” it scratched distinctly three, which is right. “How many children has Mr –?” it scratched four, which I found to be true, by asking him the next day. It answered several other mental questions, which surprised me much. It is worthy of remark, that the children are not tormented while we ask questions.
I stopped a little to talk with Molly, and saw a dab of spittle fall on her forehead; it was smoaking, as if just spit out of the mouth, and ran down her face. Who can account for these things on any natural principle?
Sunday the 14th, I called, and saw a great many crooked pins taken out of her bosom that were stuck in her belly.
Monday afternoon, I went with —- and called on Mr —; we found all the pins had been taken out of her clothes and crooked, and stuck in her skin; and as I had many reflections thrown on me in the public papers, I was determined to try an experiment, in order to have a certain fact to convince the world, if possible. I made Molly sit down in a chair in the middle of the parlour: I took a large pin, and marked it at the top with a pair of scissors. I put her hands across, and bid her not move. I desired the above Gentlemen to watch her narrowly; none were in the room besides ourselves; I then put the marked pin in her pincushion in which the other pin was; I put the pincushion that hung at her side into her pocket hole, and pulled her clothes over it. As I moved one hand (my watch being in the other to see the time), she cried out she felt somewhat at her pincushion, an ddirectly was pricked in the neck (her hands being still across). The identical pin that I marked, was run through the neck of her shift, and stuck in her skin, crooked very curiously. It was not a minute from the time I put the pin in, to her being pricked in the neck: those two Gentlemen were witnesses of the fact. We then marked four other pins, and I put them in her pincushion singly, as before; and all of them were crooked, and stuck in her neck. I examined the pincushion (after we took every pin out of her neck) and found the pins gone from the pincushion, some of them were crooked in half a minute, in such a manner as no human hands could do in the time.
Tuesday the 16th, I went with —. We heard it squeak five times as soon as we got in the room. as it seemed to be very free, we were afraid the children would have a bad night. Mr — went to prayers with them. After the children were in bed, I asked in thought, If Jesus Christ would come to judge the World? and before I had gone half through, it scratched as if in a passion. Mr — asked in thought, “How many children Mr B had? (a clergyman in Malmsbury), it scratched four and right. Mr — also asked many questions in thought. We asked if it was permitted to speak to us by voice? It scratched No. It then said in Molly’s ear: “Mr —- is the man that has employed the Witch.. do you as I bid you. – Move to several places – Bristol will not do – Seven miles out first – don’t stay long in a place – my charm will be more powerful than ever. – The children will not be able to live long, if you stay too long in a place, except the last place. – The youngest must go with her sister, else she will not be able to live. Take your sister”. These were spoken in separate sentences, and we asked by scratches to check Molly, to see if she spoke true, and found all right.
Dobby said, if then told her, that if she did not go along with Molly she could not live. This was the only time it spoke to Dobby. It then said to Molly; “Your sister mistakes; it is you that will not live long, I shall afflict you inwardly next, if Dobby do not go with you. Attend to what I shall say next.” (We waited about a minute before it spoke.) “If your sister is not with you, in two days after you are there (at Mr –‘s) you will be in such a violent rack of pain, that you shall not live to see your friends.”
It said at the beginning of this discovery, that they must stay but two weeks at Mr –‘s, where they must go first. We asked where they must go next? It answered, “Where you will, so that it is not in Bristol: four miles out; two weeks at a place.” We asked how many places after Mr —‘s? It said, “eight, they might stay twelve weeks at the last place – three miles out will do – if you let them stay more than a fortnight, there is no doubt but some will lose their lives. Now I will talk my language: (This was unintelligible Gibberish). I shall go and tell you when to go from Mr —‘s. I was persuaded not tell all this; but I would: the children will not suffer unless you stay over the fortnight – be sure and do that about Dobby’s going over, in two days.”
Mr — had before made an offer of taking one of the children to his house, but had told Mr Giles he did not choose to take any but Molly. We were at a loss therefore about sending Dobby over, and were afraid of omitting it. I said, if Mr — would alter his mind, and take both children, scratch three times: which it did. I asked it to name the witch to the child. It siad, “Emme, Emme” but Molly said, she could not well understand it. I bid it speak plain, but it said the same again. It was not willing to impeach its mistress.
Mr — was going to ask a question. It said to Molly “Hold your tongue.” (The question did not relate to the children). It said “Make haste and ask; my time is short, I have but a few minutes:” and about twelve stopped entirely for that nigght.
The 19th in the morning, about nine o’clock, Dobby was in the kitchen with the porters and others. On a sudden she disappeared, as they all told me. They thought she might be gone backwards, but they could not see her. They searched some time, and went up stairs, but she was not under the same bed she used to be carried to; they were much distressed, but at last found her under her father’s bed. I came in soon after. Dobby said, “The woman appeared dressed as usual, with a dirty chip hat, and a brown ragged gown. She was of a middle size, and had a sharp nose, she put her hand before my mouth, and then carried me up, and said to me, don’t be afraid little maid, I won’t hurt you, but only undress you, to see where I did hurt you. She then took off all my clothes and stays, except my under petticoat, and then they came in and found me.”
About noon, it whispered to Molly, that it wanted to speak with her upstairs: she went up with Mr —. It said to Molly, “One mile out of town will do. I will come and tell your father, who has employed me: It is — that has employed me. If you are apart, I can affect you both inwardly, with the same power at the same instant. You shall not be affected at the first three places, unless you stay over the fortnight. If your father do please me, I will let you know at Mr —‘s, then I will let your father know some secrets, not about the children, but other secrets. I was persuaded not to tell this, but I would tell. If your father do not move you soon, it will be worse for your father, and I will serve him the same, that I have this week about the waggons.” All this it spoke in Molly’s ear.
I was talking with Mr Giles about sending the children to Mr —‘s; Mrs Giles said, She thought Dobby might tell lies, in order to go over with her sister to Mr —‘s (when Dobby said it spoke in her ear, that she must go with her sister) though we checked most of the sentences that the children spoke, by asking by scratches, for fear that they should not speak truth.
It said again to Molly, “that it wanted to speak with her upstairs.” As she was afraid to go, I went with her; she sat down by me a few minutes, and it struck her head against the wall, and said, “ah! what are you come? I find your sister tells lies, I’ll punish her for it.” Molly said to me, she did not understand what it meant by saying so: it answered, “Yes, yes, ’tis your sister Dobby that your mother says tells lies, and I’ll punish her for it. Well I have got nothing more to say to you now, but i’ll fetch you up by and bye for all this.”
They then locked Molly in the parlour with two persons, till near bedtime, to prevent, as they thought, her being carried off at night. I went again, and found there Messrs. —. The children had been pulled out of bed several times, as it were by the neck, in their sight. The children lay on their back, and I saw very strong gentlemen hold each child under their arms as they lay on their back: they soon cried out they were pulled by their legs. Major D— held Molly with all his might, and put his knee against the bedstead, but cried he could not hold her, the force was so great, that he thought three hundred weight pulled against him. They were both pulled to the foot of the bed, and the Major fell on the bed. The children then were pulled up again, and the Major for a certain experiment, (for he did not believe there was any thing preternatural in the affair) tried again above ten times, I saw the children as often pulled to the bed’s foot, and both the Major and the other gentlemen pulled after them, though they held them with all their strength, the children crying with the pain.
They felt hands pull them by their legs, and I saw the black and blue marks on the small of their legs, as if hands had done it. I held Dobby myself under the arms, as she lay on her back, but I found my strength nothing to the force that pulled against me, adn she was pulled to the bed’s foot, and then it stopped. This so confounded the Major, that he could not help cursing it, and as we had observed, if any one cursed or called it names, it was worse, and they suffered for it.
The Major took a candle to look under the bed, to see if he could find out any trick, and he said he felt three or four fingers catch hold of his wrist, and pinch him so hard that the prints were very visible, and grew black next day, and were sore for some time. He was now very certain, no visible power did it, and was fully convinced that the whole was preternatural. I stayed till midnight, and left them there; but after I was gone, the Major told me it was quite shocking, pulling the children out of bed, and he saw them dragged about the room, as it were by the neck, though he saw nothing that did it: the children crying out much afterwards.
He marked several pins, and put them at the other end of the room, and as he sat on the bed, the pins he had marked were thrown into his hand, though none were present but Mr — and himself, and the children in bed. He marked a great many pins, which were returned by the invisible agent in the same manner, which he carried up to London, and showed them at Court to many Bishops and Noblemen. About two in the morning, it acted so violently, that the Major called the coachman and footman, but all their united endeavours could not keep the children in bed. They were obliged to put on the children’s clothes, and carry them downstairs, though with difiiculty, as those who carried them were violently jostled.
In the kitchen, the children were pulled towards the ceiling with such force, that they were all tired with holding hem, though above a dozen were there. When they held their arms and legs, then their bodies and necks were pulled so that all were astonished. Four stout men could scarcely hold one child from being pulled away; and sometimes they seemed suspended in the air.
About three in the morning, it spoke to Molly, and desired her to go into the pantry. One of them went with her, and it told her if Dobby was carried out in the yard, they should be quiet that night; and she was carried out, but pulled much there. It told Molly that it had tormented them so much that night to convince the father and mother that Dobby did not tell lies, when she said that it spoke to her that she must go over with her sister to Mr —‘s; then, Molly in the house, and Dobby in the yard, were both delivered at the same instant, (as the Major and — told me) for that night, though they did not see each other till she came into the house, and both walked about quite well, and both went to bed without any disturbance, till next day: they were all fully convinced that nothing but a preternatural power could pull with that force against so many.
Saturday the 20th, in the evening, I went and found they had been tormented all day, as usual, by bites and cuts. I went up as soon as they were in bed. They were pulled almost out of bed. I held Dobby, but the power pulling against me was so great, that I could not heave her, nor hold her. They were both pulled as it were by the feet and legs out of the bed; several of us tried to hold them under the arms, but we could not, though two at a time tried, they would cry out, and said that they felt hands pull them by the legs; we searched under the bed, and in the bed, but could never see anything.
As the Major could not come tonight, he sent his butler (who was there last night) to see how they were. He went upstairs, and as he entered the room, (they were at the other side) something took off his hat, and flung it with violence, in sight of several, to the other end of the room, under the bed. He looked round, thinking somebody behind the door did it, but was astonished as he told me, to find no one there; and before he had time to take up his had, the children were pulled out of bed so furiously, and tormented various ways, that it was more than an hour before he got his hat again.
As the man that drove the waggon on Wednesday to Bath was come home, I inquired about the waggon being stopped at Kelston Hill, four miles on this side Bath. He said, “the horses trembled much, the chains broke off as they stood still, without any force. There were seven horses, five of them were broken off; it was dark, and they galloped away with great fury, and four of them came safe to the stables at Bath; about a yard of chain was broken quite off, and fell to the ground, which he intended to look for when it was light. The person that put the horses in the stable at Bath, said that the chains were put across the horses, and the yard of chain hung on, and none was lost when they came there, though they came so fast. When it was daylight, they found the other horse standing quiet by a gate, not far from the waggon. They could not think how he came there, as they looked there before. It was sixteen hours before the waggon got to Bath, which ought to be in London in three days.” The first week Mr Giles set up the flying waggons for London these troubles began. This night, the 20th, after I went away, they were both pulled out of bed so often, that they were obliged to carry them into the next house, though they were pulled with great violence, as they were carrying them through the yard. They slept at this house without disturbance.
Sunday the 21st, I went at five in the evening to this neighbour’s house: they seemed as if they had lost their senses, but cried out they were pulled – their legs and arms were pulled with such great violence, that three of us could scrcely hold one of them from being pulled up to the ceiling. I sweated much by holding only one arm. I am sure it was as strong as if she had been pulled upwards by a rope: yet there was no sign of any convulsive fit, nor any contractions of the mouth or hands. I observed they were pulled by turns, and not both at once. They would lie on a person’s lap with their hands and feet trembling in an uncommon manner, while one would be pulled so that scarcely three men could hold her from being drawn up to the ceiling, the child crying out in a very pitiful manner. All this time, the other would lie in a senseless state, trembling with hands and feet: and thus they were served by turns for an hour together. A person proposed relieving them by casting their urine into the fire. They had a great difficulty to make any, even at intervals; as their bodies would be stretched out so very stiff, that the woman could not bend her legs for some time; at last they threw the water of one of them into the fire and burnt it; as soon as it burned clear, that child was as well as if nothing had happened. They did the same with the other’s water, and she recovered in the same manner.
But it returned in three hours as bad as before. Mrs —, at bedtime, had great difficulty to keep them in bed, they were so violently pulled. Mrs — in a hurry, called isome name. I begged she would not, lest it should have any power over her. She then beat it at the bed’s foot, to prevent its hurting the children. It generally squeaked when beat, like a cat or rat. Mr —‘s daughter, about eighteen, and son about fourteen, were standing by the bedside, they cried out they saw something lie between the children’s heads of a shining colour, about the size of a cat, with a broad back, but could not see any head, feet or tail; as it seemed in a heap. Mrs — then saw it, and went to the bed’s head, and struck at it with her hand. She said it felt very soft and vanished, but somewhat at the same instant pinched a bit of flesh out of her arm, that the blood ran down. I saw the wound; it was as big as a small pea, bled a little next day, and the mark continued some months.
It was as furious this night afterwards, as when they lay at Mr Giles’s, and while Mrs — was holding the child’s arms, she thought she felt something sittin gon her own breast, (being full breasted) but did not see anything, nor feel any pain; but when she went away, and pulled off her handkerchief, she found both her breasts pinched to that degree, with several hundred marks of fingers, that some women who examined it next day, said, They never saw any thing so pinched. It was as black as a hat, and the marks continued black some months; whereas when the children were pinched, or bitten, the blackness did not continue above a day or two.
Monday, Feb. 22, I went to Mr. —‘s in the morning, where they slept. As soon as they sat down to breakfast, they crid out. Their legs, I saw were pinched under the chair, that they fell down, and were dragged about the room. Three or four of us carried them upstairs, where they were tormented dreadfully. One of them seemed to lose her senses, and her hands and feet moved both at the same time, as if paralytic, for two or three minutes together; and the other child’s arms and legs were pulled, as if ropes had been tied to them. She cried out, till she became senseless, and shook like a person in the palsy. Each was used by turns in the same manner. They were brought low by these torments, that I was afraid they would sink under them. Their bodies would become at times so rigid, that none could bend them.
We were at last obliged to move them over the way to Mr —‘s, their torments being very great: here they were a little easier, but they were greatly exhausted by their late exercises. At ten o’clock, Molly was sent in a post-chaise over to Mr. —‘s; they were both very quiet for a fortnight. Dobby had lain that night at a house in the Old Market, and was bitten in the arm; and a chair was thrown down. As it said it would torment them anywhere in Bristol; and we heard Mr — did not choose to take Dobby. I then thought it did not scratch right, when it said he would take both children; but the next morning he sent word he would take Dobby, and she went over.
Wednesday the 24th, the flying waggon set out for London. Mr Giles sent two men with it, as he was afraid they might play tricks to perplex him, and likewise for a sure proof, if anything should happen to the waggon. I heard the man say, that at the bottom of Kelston Hill, near Bath, the chain broke off on a sudden, and it was tied up presently, in four or five knots, and the whole chain tied in a bow knot, as completely as one could a piece of twine. They were a long time trying to beat out the knots, and at last broke the links of the chain. This was the same place where the waggon stopped before. Eight or nine passengers were obliged to walk to Bath.
Saturday the 27th, at the same place, as the flying waggon was going to Bath, the same horse that the chain belonged to, when it was tied up in knots, broke off another chain, and the horse started out to the hedge, and stood trembling as if he had the staggers. The men said they did not much regard that horse, but endeavoured to whip up the others from what they thought the enchanted place; and when they got to the top of the hill, the horse that was affected, came galloping after, neighing, and was joined to the others quite well.
Hearing that the child had been troubled at Mr —‘s, I was invited over there; and Dobby told me, that Tuesday, March 8, she was taken out of bed while asleep, and did not wake till she was on the stairs in the woman’s arms who used to take her away. She was dressed as usual. She remembered she struggled but could not cry out. She carried her upstairs, and threw her under the bed, and lay on her that she could not cry out. Mr and Mrs — thought they heard her go upstairs, but as none went to detect her, and she was found under the bed without shoe or stocking on, it is no proof against her. They were pulled afterwards backwards and forwards along the room. Their feet went forward till they came to the fire, and they stopped them, lest they should be burned.
April the 2nd, they came away. Dobby came home, and Molly was sent to a house in Kingswood.
The 23rd, Molly came home, and was quiet till the 26th, when, being in bed, she cried out, there was somewhat like a mouse running round her neck. Soon after she had pins run into her side, and was bitten on her arm, and pulled down in the bed. Next morning a pewter dish was flung at her, and she was bitten again. The chamber-pot rolled round the room, when at their prayers, and at breakfast the tea thrown about, as usual.
I went at noon, and saw her at work about some catgut. As I looked on her she cried she was cut on the arm. I saw a fresh cut about two inches long, and two or three small drops of blood starting out. I examined the cut and opened it, and it seemed to be cut with a penknife or razor: there was no jagged skin, as if done with a pin or a needle. She went to work again, and as I sat by her, she cried she was cut again; I saw it was within a quarter of an inch of the other cut, and am certain it was not there when I examined the first. Blood started from this also. They told me, three chairs were thrown down this morning while several were present.
At night I went with the Rev. Messrs. —. We saw the drink thrown in Molly’s face when she attempted to drink. I put my hand to her elbow, and her head was dashed into the cup. If I touched her head and elbow, she could drink very well. When they went up to bed, we heard the pots rolling overhead. I went up; Molly lay in the outer room, Dobby in the inner. The maid told me both pots were thrown into the midst of the room at the same time, where I saw them. I went into Dobby’s room, and saw the pot in the middle, and directly saw it move backwards and forwards several times. No one was within six feet of it. The child was in bed, the maid standing by the child much frightened. When the pot had done moving, I asked the maid (who was but lately come to the place) if she knew who flung the pot about. She said she thought somebody under the bed did it, but was afraid to look. We then looked under the bed and about, but could see nothing that could possibly do it. Indeed I stood still while it was moving, so I am certain nothing visible did it, but for greater proof, after it stood still, I kneeled down and put my hand round the outside of the pot, to feel if any wires or hairs were tied to it, but found none. I bid the maid take the pot up, but she said she did not care to touch it.
I then turned my back to go into Molly’s room, and directly heard a violent blow break it all to pieces. I returned and saw the pot in the same place I left it, broken to pieces, and the maid sitting on the bed much frightened. As she was at such a distance from the pot, I think it impossible for her to have done it, by any means. Soon after, as I turned to go down out of Molly’s room, the pot that was flung into the middle of Molly’s room was broken in the same manner. By the pieces it seemed as if a large block had been thrown on the pots, and so crushed them. The maid was quite angry, as she said she was obliged to buy all the pots, being chamber maid. Afterwards, Molly crid she was pulled out of bed by the neck, and thrown on the ground, but her father ran to her, and took her up, and put her in again. Dobby had a cut in her arm and several pins stuck in her belly.
Wednesday the 28th, Molly went to a friend’s at Kingsweston, as she could not stay at home, being so variously tormented. At night I went up after Dobby was in bed. She cried she was pinched in her side. I looked and saw two crooked pins, with many pleats of her shift on them, stuck in her side. I took them out, and bid her lie down with her hands out of bed, and in less than a minute she was pricked in the same place. I looked, and there were two more pins, crooked very curiously, with pleats of her shift wrought on them, and stuck in the same place. I had some difficulty to get them out of her shift. I am certain they were not there when I took out the first.
I asked a question in Greek and Latin, and was answered right. It continued scratching and knocking many days after Molly was gone, and many crooked pins were thrown into Dobby’s bosom, but Dobby had no bites or cuts at this time. It said, it wanted to discover some secrets to Mr Giles, but it did not. It said it would speak to Mr Giles on Wednesday, May 5, at five o’clock. He waited in his counter, but it did not come.
It would answer anyone that whistled a tune, by whistling the same. I have heard it scratch various tunes very correctly. Also, when the children’s hands have been out of bed, I have heard it slap hands in bed as loud as a man, several times. Sometimes I have heard it pant like a bull-dog under the bed, yet I could never see anything there. Sometimes the room was filled with an insufferable smell, like putrified blood, &c. from a shambles. I have smelt it several times.
Mr —‘s sister, who came out of the country, was standing by the bedside while the children were tormented. She called it some name, and soon after felt a hand and fingers pinch her arm very hard, which left a mark as large as a crown-piece, black and blue.
Friday, May 7th. Molly came home from Kingsweston (where she was not at all tormented, though she stayed near six weeks). She went up to fetch an apron, and presently a prayer-book that was in the window was thrown at her with violence. She ran down, and did not lie there that night. Next morning her tea was thrown about, as usual, and some other little things happened. Mrs Elmes said a tea-cup seemed to jump from the saucer upright above half a foot, as it stood on the table, and fell down and broke to pieces. She had just before said, It is a mercy it has broken none of my china yet – and then this happened.
Mr Giles was determined to send Molly to Swansea till the year should be nearly out, during which it said it would continue to torment her. Mr Giles packed a shift, &c. in a box with a lock, in order to go with Capt. — to Swansea, with whom Molly was going. She put all her money, consisting of several shillings and sixpences, into a Pontypool snuffbox that fastened very tight. She put this in the top of the box upon her clothes, in the presence of her mother, and locked it, and put the key in her pocket. One of their porters took up the box to carry it on board. He told me that at the upper end of Castle Street he rested it on a bulk, and was surprised to see a shilling and two sixpences sliding out of a crack in the bottom of the box, as if pushed out. He then pushed them in again at the same crack, and stopped it with paper. When he came to the boat he told Mr Giles and the others of it. Molly then unlocked the box before them, and found the snuffbox fast shut at the top, where she had placed it. Capt. — took it up, and by shaking it found that money was in it, but on opening it Molly said six shillings were wanting: four of which they found singly, placed in the middle of the shift, caps, &c.; the other two were found at the bottom, which the man pushed in.
After Molly was gone to Wales, Dobby was neither bit nor cut; only some crooked pins were run into her skin, and some thrown into her bosom; and it continued scratching at night.
Wednesday, May 12th, Mr Giles was a little out of order. He told me he had been to Bath in his one-horse-chair, and coming home, near the place where his waggon used to be affected, the leather broke belonging to his horse. He got out of the chair to mend it, and went round the wheels of it, but saw nobody. After it was mended, he saw standing still by the wheel, a woman dressed in a cloak. He looked at her. She said nothing, but stood still. He then thought it was the woman that troubled his family, and that said, she wanted to speak with him; but as she did not speak, his heart failed him, so that he got up into his chair, and did not speak. He drove on a little, and then looked back, but she was gone. This happened before night.
Thursday the 13th, I went to see him, and found him feverish and sick. (That day Dobby had nothing done to her by pins, nor by anything else, nor indeed for two months after her father’s death).
I went that afternoon to Mr —‘s, a smith, in Gloucestershire. (He had been troubled for two months past, with two different voices in the Kingswood language, threatening to do him a mischief. His neighbours thought him disordered in mind, but he always talked very sensibly to me, and related a variety of odd circumstances. The voice foretold him many things concerning himself. He told me, that last night he was troubled again with the voices, and that amongst other things, he was told that they should have but little more power at the Lamb (meaning Giles’s) over the little ones; but they should get power over the old one there, the father. They seemed to dispute together about it, and at last seemed pleased that they should have power over Giles himself, and said something else about him, but he could not understand them. He told me he was troubled for him, though he had no acquaintance with the family. I did not tell him Mr Giles was ill, lest he should tell some of Mr Giles’s family of it.)
I called going home, and found Mr Giles poorly. As I was talking to him, he vomited a quart or two of liquid on the floor before me. I advised to send for a physician, which he did the next day.
Friday the 14th, he was bled. His blood was much inflamed. Saturday he thought he should die, and was earnest in prayer to God. Sunday, the doctor had but little hopes, as his disorder seemed a little uncommon. He settled his affairs, was very sensible, and willing to die. Sunday evening, May 16th, I was there when he died, which was about nine o’clock; but whether any witchcraft hastened his death, God knows. What the voices said to the smith before he was taken so ill, is very remarkable. I never told Giles’s family of it till some months after his death.
Wednesday, July the 7th, I went, hearing that Dobby was affected again (who has been quiet ever since Mr Giles’s death) by pins and bites. I waited some time, and she cried she was bitten. I saw the impression of several teeth, and spittle on it, and soon after a cut of a knife. She said she felt a cold knife cut her arm. As I was looking on, I am sure she could not do it herself.
It began to scratch very loud. We asked several questions, which were answered. It was aksed, If Mr Giles lost his life wholly by the witchcraft, to scratch seven? Which it did distinctly. Several others asked the same afterwards, which it answered in the affirmative; and it was afterwards asked, If Mr Giles had spoken to the woman that day, would his life have been saved? It answered, Yes: and that the man that had done it would confess it. It was asked, If any one else would die? and it scratched that a female of the family would die (the youngest daughter died some months after, but had not been affected as her two sisters).
Thursday the 8th, in the evening, I took out six pins, one after another, stuck in Dobby’s shift, and then in her side; all near the same place. I am sure she could not have put them in, as her hands were out of bed. It answered me two questions in thought.
July the 15th, I was there. It scratched but little. After waiting, she said she was pinched in her side. I looked and took out a crooked pin, and presently after I found another in the same place. Her hands were out of bed. She cried, a rough hand was washing her arm. I looked, and saw from her wrist to her elbow, a quantity of spittle daubed over her arm, more than two people could spit in the time. I was watching her when it happened. As none was in bed with her, I bid Dobby put one hand in bed, and ordered the maid to go to the other end of the room, but first I made her wipe off all the spittle with an apron. I then watched her mouth and hands. In two or three minutes, she said, a rough hand was washing her arm again. I looked on her arm, which was wiped before, and a quantity of very frothy spittle was daubed over it, from the wrist to the elbow. I examined it, and found the substance as thick as saliva; a steam came from it as if hot. I am certain no visible person put it there.
July the 20th. It being near the fair, Dobby was sent to a house in Kingswood; as several of their customers had gone to sleep at other inns, on account of these troubles, by which they were great losers. After she came back, there was nothing material happened, but a repetition of the same things. Mrs Giles thought she would not send for Molly till the Captain brought her up with him. One day when I was there and it was scratching, they asked, How many weeks before Molly would come home? It scratched three, and she came exactly to the time, Sept. 9, though no person wrote to her to come. That night all was quiet.
Friday, Sept. 10, at ten at night, I went, as Molly was going to bed. A little toy case of drawers was flung at her with fury. As soon as they were in bed, Dobby was bit on both her legs at once. I saw it was fresh done. Molly had two pins run into the soles of her feet, which I saw, and some in her bosom.
Monday, Sept. 13, they asked in the morning, among other questions, If I would come there that night? (It was usual for them in a morning to ask, if such clergymen would come at night, and other persons whom they named, and in that affair it always answered true, yes or no). It answered Yes. The Rev. Mr. — stayed in the evening with me, at my house, and I thought I would not go. I did not know what was asked in the morning. At half past ten he went home. I then told my sister I had a great inclination to go to Lawford’s Gate. She persuaded me much against it, as it was late, and a mile off, but as it did not rain I did not regard that, and went. I got there at eleven; they were surprised at my coming so late, and said before I came, it had told them false in the morning, but now it proved true. I saw several bites and cuts, as usual.
Mr — was present, and asked several questions, which were answered right; but it would not tell how many weeks it had power to trouble the children, which it told so often before. It answered, the affair would be brought to light. After we went away, Molly was caught by the throat, and was senseless half an hour.
Tuesday the 14th, among other questions in the morning, Mr — and others asked, Whether I should come in the evening? It answered, No. (The night before, I had told them I should). After they had asked about me this morning, I sent word by a person, that my sister and I would be there at seven in the evening. This made them wonder it had said, I would not come. They waited to see if it had told true. About six, my sister dressed herself to go with me, but as Mr Edward Durbin was riding out on horseback, he was seized with a palsy on one side, and brought home in a coach. I sent for a physician, and stayed with him till twelve at night. This prevented my going. Does not this prove its foreknowledge of some events?
Wednesday the 15th, it told them I should come at night. My sister and I went at eight. As we were talking with them, Dobby had a pin stuck in her head, crooked in a very odd manner. My sister went up to bed with them. Going upstairs the long brush was flung at Molly. When they were in the room, Molly held out her hand to give the pot to Dobby. She cried out, the pot was pulled from her. My sister saw Molly’s hand pulled out with it, and the pot pulled away sideways into a contrary direction to the motion of her hand, and it went with such violence towards the wall, as threw the water over my sister and Dobby, and struck a woman on the breast that was standing at the wall on the other side of the room. It then fell down and rolled round the room with a great noise (I heard it underneath) and yet it was not broken.
When they were in bed I went up. It began scratching very loud, and would answer anything we asked. As it would not tell how many weeks it had to continue, and the year being nearly out that it first said it would continue, I asked by scratches, If any more money was given by the man for the witch to continue longer than the year? It answered Yes. And how many guineas? It said Ten. How many in all? It answered Twenty. We asked, If the power of God compelled it to confess that night? It said, Yes. And as it said it had already taken away the life of one in the house, I asked If it had the power to take away the life of any other in the house? It said, Yes. I then named each of the eight children: it scratched to Dobby. I asked, In how many days Dobby would die, if she stayed in the house? It answered, three. I asked, If it would speak in Molly’s ear how to prevent it? It said, yes. Molly said it did speak, but she was so flustered about her sister’s dying, that she could not understand it. I asked, If Molly was not able to bear [hear?] it? It said, No. I asked, If we remove Molly and Dobby to Kingswood, will that do? It said, Yes. And If there were many good angels in the room? Yes. And, If they saved the children from more hurt? Yes. And some other questions; I also asked one or two in thought.
Soon after, Dobby cried out, somewhat caught hold of her breast. My sister put her hand in bed to rub it. She cried out her throat, and Molly said she saw hands about her sister’s neck; and presently she turned red and blackish in her face. They took her out of bed, and she lay in the woman’s lap quite senseless for three parts of an hour, but had no convulsions or contractions of the hands, &c. as in fits, but lay as one asleep. I could not perceive her breathe; her pulse was low. The woman thought her dead, and her mother was almost distracted. As my sister had a fresh bottle of salts, I applied them to her nose, thinking, if it was any artifice, they would rouse her. But I could not perceive they had any effect on her, though the salts were very strong. She did not seem in pain, but foamed a little at the mouth, so that at last I was doubtful if she would recover, as it said she would die if she stayed at home three days. It seemed to show how easily it could kill her, if God permitted. After this she lay till near twelve, then we carried her into the other room. She rose up, rubbed her eyes, and told me she thought she had been asleep. She did not know anything that happened to her. They asked many questions more that night.
Thursday the 16th, in the morning, many things were thrown at them, such as a pewter dish and basin. A chamber-pot was thrown downstairs after them, though no person was above in the room. When they sat in the settle in the kitchen, many of the neighbours being there, the children cried, they were pulled by the legs, and were pulled down on the ground several times in the sight of many. It dragged them about, and pulled off their caps, and tormented them much, that they were forced to send them to Kingswood as soon as possible.
Dobby was in the bar to get herself ready; a new ribbon was put round her head, and tied round some hair behind. Several were in the bar, when she crid, somewhat was untying her ribbon. They looked on her head, and saw the ribbon untie and vanish. They looked round the room, but could see nothing of it. (After it had been gone eleven days, as Mrs Giles and others were sitting in the bar, the ribbon dropped down before them.)
Dobby went into the kitchen with the maids; they were toasting bread for breakfast, five or six were talking. On a sudden Dobby was gone. They ran every way to seek her, but could not find her. They looked under the bed where she used to be, but she was not there. They then went into an old garret, three storeys high, where they found her under a bed, speechless. A door must have been unbolted in the passage to go up: this was out of her reach, and bolted again after she was gone up. She was there near an hour, and when brought down, she told them the woman, dressed as usual, carried her away, and held her till they came. Whoever pulled her from under the bed always met with great resistance, as if something pulled against them. They went to Kingswood directly.
Nov. the 15th. The year being finished that they had been tormented, the children were brought home, and were free from every disturbance till Saturday the 27th; then it began in the morning, with nine loud knocks, and frightened Molly into fits. They were in hopes it was all over, though it had told me, it was hired afresh. It spoke (so loud that the maid heard) that the affair would be brought to light. They answered, that it had told them lies, in saying that it would cease in a year. It said, though it was hired afresh, it would not torment them long. This, and the following, was spoken audibly, that the maid heard it. It said also that another family was troubled, but that this would likewise be brought to light.
Monday the 19th, it troubled them as usual. Molly the maid felt a cold hand slap her across the eyes. I saw one eye blackish. At night I went, and heard it scratch very loud, but it would not answer many questions. Mrs Giles had asked my opinion, whether they should not go to those called White Witches, to have these troubles stopped. I told them, if they could stop it, it must be done by the power of the devil; therefore I thought it no lawful to go to them, but to trust the providence of God for deliverance. But as it continued above the year, and was hired for another year, they were determined to go to the woman at Bedminster, to see if she could stop it. The morning they went it was very violent, and spoke aloud, and called Mrs Giles, and said they should not be the better for going to the Cunning Woman, and as they were going out at the door, pinched Molly in the cheek till the blood came. I saw the mark of it.
Mrs Giles and two neighbours went to Bedminster, but were resolved not to tell what they came about, to see if the woman knew their thoughts. They sat down in her room, and she begun, without their telling what they came about, and told Mrs Giles that she should have come to her before, for that there had been horrible Witchcraft at her house. That Molly and her sister had been troubled much; that her husband had lost his life through it; that a man in Bristol had given many pieces of gold to a woman in Gloucestershire to do it. And so, for an hour and half, told them everything that had happened, and some secret things, which Mrs Giles said she thought she could not possibly have known by hearsay. But, as all these things had been long and publicly talked of, she might have easily heard the whole, and yet been no wiser than her neighbours.
She said it was a very powerful spirit that was employed; it was a chief of the familiar spirits; it was Malchi (which was the name it told me it was called by) and therefore she was in doubt whether she could stop it. And that this spirit knew all languages, and all thoughts; for there were some learned spirits, and some ignorant. She bid them, however, take the two children’s first water in the morning, and put it in a pipkin on the fire, and if, when it boiled, all colours of the rainbow came out of it visibly, she could cure it; and she would do the rest at home. They accordingly put the water on the fire, and, several told me, beautiful colours came out of it, like the rainbow.
From that day they have had no disturbance; but have been quiet above a year. How far the cunning woman may have contributed to this, I will not pretend to say.
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