Page 66 - Encyclopedia of the Unusual and Unexplained Vol. 3

46 Ghosts and Phantoms

silence during the minister’s prayers, but upon lacking a fireplace, and on a particularly cold
the last “amen,” it began to move chairs about and bitter winter’s night, became very hot and
the room, hurl the children’s shoes into the filled with a noxious odor.
air, and toss every object that it could get its On the following morning, Mompesson
invisible hands on. A heavy staff struck Rev. scattered fine ashes over the chamber floor to
Cragg on the leg, but the astonished clergy- see what sort of imprints might be made by the
man reported that a lock of wool could not incredible entity. He was rewarded by the eerie
have fallen more softly. discovery of the markings of a great claw, some
The knocking had become so loud at letters, circles, and other weird footprints.
nights that it awakened neighbors several It was at this point in the manifestations
houses away. The Mompessons’ servants had that Rev. Joseph Glanvil arrived to conduct
also become subject to receiving nocturnal his investigation. The phenomena were most
visits from the drummer. Their beds were cooperative for Rev. Glanvil and provided
raised while they attempted to sleep, and at him with ample evidence of their existence
times it curled up about their feet. from the very first moment of his arrival. It

was eight o’clock in the evening and the chil-
dren were in bed, enduring their nightly ritual
of scratching, bed-liftings, and pantings. Rev.
BALLADS and poems have been written in Glanvil tried desperately to trace the source of
the disturbances, but could find nothing. He
celebration of the incredible prowess of the
was momentarily elated when he noticed
Tedworth Drummer. something moving in a linen bag, but upon
scooping up the cloth, and hoping to find a rat
or a mouse in his clutches, he was dismayed to

The ghost particularly delighted in find himself left holding an empty bag.
wrestling with a husky servant named John. It Later that night, when Rev. Glanvil and a
would jerk the bedclothes off the sleeping man, friend retired for the evening, they were awak-
throw shoes at his head, and engage in a hearty ened by a loud knocking. When the clergyman
tug-o’-war with the man, who was trying des- demanded to know what the entity wished of
perately to keep the covers on his bed instead them, a disembodied voice answered that it
of on the floor. At times, the powerful entity wanted nothing of the two men. The next
would entwine itself around John and forcibly morning, however, Rev. Glanvil’s horse was
hold him as if he were bound hand and foot. found trembling in a state of nervous exhaus-
With a tremendous effort of brute strength, the tion, appearing as though it had been ridden
servant would free himself from the grasp of his all night. Glanvil had scarcely mounted the
invisible opponent and reach for the sword that horse for his return trip when the animal col-
he kept beside his bed. John had found that the lapsed. Although the horse was well-attended
brandishing of his sword was the only action and cared for, it died within two days.
that could make the thing retreat. One night in the children’s bedroom, the

By January 10, 1662, nearly a year after its voice shrieked its claim that it was a witch
unwelcome arrival, the entity had acquired a over a hundred times in rapid succession. The
voice and the ability to simulate the sound of next day, the harried Mompesson fired his pis-
rustling silk and the panting of animals. It had tol at an animated stick of firewood and was
begun by singing in the chimney, then moved astonished to see several drops of blood appear
into the children’s bedroom where it chanted: on the hearth! The firewood fell to the floor
“A witch, a witch! I am a witch!” When and a trail of blood began to drip on the stair-
Mompesson rushed into the nursery with his way as the wounded ghost retreated.
pistol, the disturbances ceased at once. When the invisible thing returned three

That night it came to his bedside, panting nights later, it seemed to vent its anger on the
like a large dog. The bedroom, even though children. Even the baby was tormented and not

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