Page:Saducismus Triumphatus.djvu/382

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by my Mother, upon whose bare assertion I dare confidently believe any thing that shall be related.

The second Nights disturbance; the next Evening, as we sat at Supper, we all heard a great noise above in the Chamber, at the end of the house, as it were flinging of Chairs and Stools about the Room, or removing of great Trunks. And going up to see, all was still till we came down again: However the Gentlewoman resolved to go to bed again that night in the same Chamber. My Sister went to bed with her, and the rest to their Lodgings, only my Brother and I resolved to sit up some time and expect the event. Withing a while after we heard them knock earnestly above, we went both up, they told us there had been the same disturbance as the night before and something more. For besides the tugging of the Mat under the Bed, the Bed-clothes upon them were often tugged and pulled, insomuch as they were fain to hold them hard with their hands to keep them from being pulled off. All was quiet for a little time while we were in the Chamber with a light, but we were no sooner out of the Chamber with the Candle, but the noise under the Bed tugging of the Mat, pulling off the Bed-clothes began again. Moreover something came into the bed, which the Gentlewoman said ran upon her by degrees, and seemed little and soft like a Mole. Upon this she skreekt out, and we came in again with the Candle, then all was still again.

We retired often with the Candle, and presently the same disturbance returned, together with a low whispering noise in many places about the Bed, but chiefly towards the Bed's head, which we all heard staying in the Chamber, and removing the Candle into the next Room. My Father and Mother arose, and there were none of us but heard all or most part of this, but nothing appeared to us. The thing was continally moving and stirring in some part or other of the bed, and most commonly at the feet, where it usually came up first. At last it came to that boldness that it would make the same disturbance while the Candle was in the Chamber, if but a little shaded behind the door, so that we could sometimes see the Clothes pull'd and tugg'd, and we frequently saw it heave and lift up the Clothes upon the bed towards the feet, in a little hill or rising, which both my Brother and I often clapt our hands upon, perceiving it to move, and withal to make a little clacking noise, which cannot, any more than the former whispering, be exprest in Writing. We could not perceive any thing more than the Clothes, as often as we saw them so moved and heaved up. The shoes were