Storms, and affrighting the Seamen) he made a shift to come back again. And 'tis observable, that during all the time of his restraint and absence, the House was quiet, but as soon as ever he came back at liberty, the disturbance returned.
He had been a Soldier under Cromwel, and used to talk much of Gallant Books he had of an old Fellow, who was counted a Wizzard. Upon this occasion I shall here add a Passage, which I had not from Mr. Mompesson, but yet relates to the main purpose.
The Gentleman who was with me at the House, Mr. Hill, being in Company with one Compton of Summersetshire, who practised Physick, and pretends to strange Matters, related to him this Story of Mr. Mompesson's Disturbance. The Physician told him, he was sure it was nothing but a Rendez-vous of Witches, and that for an Hundred Pounds he would undertake to rid the House of all Disturbance. In persuit of this Discourse, he talkt of many high things, and having drawn my Friend into another Room, apart from the rest of the Company, said, he would make him sensible he could do something more than ordinary, and askt him who he desired to see, Mr. Hill had no great confidence in his Talk, but yet being earnestly prest to name some one, he said, he desired to see no one so much as his Wife, who was then many Miles distant from them at her home. Upon this, Compton took up a Looking-glass that was in the Room, and setting it down again, bid my Friend look in it, which he did, and there, as he most solemnly and seriously professeth, he saw the exact Image of his Wife, in that Habit which she then wore, and working at her Needle in such a part of the Room (there represented also) in which and about which time she really was, as he found upon enquiry when he came home. The Gentleman himself averred this to me, and he is a very sober, intelligent, and credible Person. Compton had no knowledge of him before, and was an utter stranger to the Person of his Wife. The same Man we shall meet again, in the Story of the Witchcrafts of Elisabeth Style, whom he discovered to be a Witch, by foretelling her coming into an House, and going out again without speaking, as it set down in the third Relation. He was by all accounted a very odd Person.
Thus I have written the sum of Mr. Mompesson's Disturbance, which I had partly from his own Mouth related before divers, who had been witnesses of all, and confirmed his Relation, and partly from his own Letters, from which the order and series of things is taken. The same particulars he writ also to Dr. Creed, then Doctor of the Chair in Oxford.
