_October_ 31. This night, the fires and lights prepared, the ordinary
keeper and his bitch, with another man perswaded by him, they all took
their beds and fell asleep. But about twelve at night, such rapping was
on all sides of them, that it wakened all of them; as the doors did seem
to open, the mastive bitch fell fearfully a yelling, and presently ran
fiercely into the bed to them in the truckle-bed; as the thing came by
the table, it struck so fierce a blow on that, as that it made the frame
to crack, then took the warming-pan from off the table, and stroke it
against the walls with so much force as that it was beat flat together,
lid and bottom. Now were they hit as they lay covered over head and ears
within the bed-clothes. Captain Carelesse was taken a sound blow on the
head with the shoulder-blade bone of a dead horse, (before they had been
but thrown at, when they peept up, and mist;) Browne had a shrewed blow
on the leg with the backbone, and another on the head, and every one of
them felt severall blows of bones and stones through the bed-clothes,
for now these things were thrown as from an angry hand that meant
further mischief; the stones flew in at window as shot out of a gun, nor
was the bursts lesse (as from without) than of a cannon, and all the
windows broken down. Now as the hurling of the things did cease, and the
thing walkt up and down, Captain Cockaine and Hart cried out, In the
name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, what are you? What would you
have? What have we done that you disturb us thus? No voice replied, (as
the Captains said, yet some of their servants have said otherwise,) and
the noise ceast. Hereupon Captains Hart and Cockaine rose, who lay in
the bed-chamber, renewed the fire and lights, and one great candle, in a
candlestick, they placed in the door, that might be seen by them in both
the rooms. No sooner were they got to bed, but the noise arose on all
sides more loud and hideous than at any time before, insomuch as (to use
the Captains' own words) it returned and brought seven devils worse than
itself; and presently they saw the candle and candlestick in the passage