Woodstock | Page 5

went from Woodstock town,
(where they had lain some nights before,) and took up their lodgings in
his majestie's house after this manner: The bed-chamber and
withdrawing-room they both lodged in and made their kitchen; the
presence-chamber their room for dispatch of their business with all
commers; of the council-hall their brew-house, as of the dining-room,
their wood-house, where they laid in the clefts of that antient standard
in the High-Park, for many ages beyond memory known by the name
of the King's Oak, which they had chosen out, and caused to be dug up
by the roots.
October 17. About the middle of the night, these new guests were first
awaked by a knocking at the presence-chamber door, which they also
conceived did open, and something to enter, which came through the
room, and also walkt about that room with a heavy step during half an
hour, then crept under the bed where Captain Hart and Captain
Carelesse lay, where it did seem (as it were) to bite and gnaw the mat
and bed-coards, as if it would tear and rend the feather beds; which
having done a while, then would heave a while, and rest; then heave
them up again in the bed more high than it did before, sometime on the
one side, sometime on the other, as if it had tried which Captain was
heaviest. Thus having heaved some half an hour, from thence it walkt
out and went under the servants' bed, and did the like to them; hence it
walkt into a withdrawing room, and there did the same to all who
lodged there. Thus having welcomed them for more than two hours'
space, it walkt out as it came in, and shut the outer door again, but with
the clap of some mightie force. These guests were in a sweat all this
while, but out of it falling into a sleep again, it became morning first
before they spake their minds; then would they have it to be a dog, yet

they described it more to the likeness of a great bear; so fell to the
examining under the beds, where, finding only the mats scracht, but the
bed-coards whole, and the quarter of beef which lay on the floor
untoucht, they entertained other thoughts.
October 18. They were all awaked as the night before, and now
conceived that they heard all the great clefts of the King's Oak brought
into the presence-chamber, and there thumpt down, and after roul about
the room; they could hear their chairs and stools tost from one side of
the room unto the other, and then (as it were) altogether josled. Thus
having done an hour together, it walkt into the withdrawing-room,
where lodged the two captains, the secretary, and two servants; here
stopt the thing a while, as if it did take breath, but raised a hideous one,
then walkt into the bed-chamber, where lay those as before, and under
the bed it went, where it did heave and heave again, that now they in
bed were put to catch hold upon bed-posts, and sometimes one of the
other, to prevent their being tumbled out upon the ground; then coming
out as from under the bed, and taking hold upon the bed-posts, it would
shake the whole bed, almost as if a cradle rocked. Thus having done
here for half an hour, it went into the withdrawing-room, where first it
came and stood at the bed's feet, and heaving up the bed's feet, flopt
them down again a while, until at last it heaved the feet so high that
those in bed thought to have been set upon their heads; and having thus
for two hours entertained them, went out as in the night before, but
with a great noise.
October 19. This night they awaked not until the midst of the night;
they perceived the room, to shake with something that walkt about the
bedchamber, which having done so a while, it walkt into a
withdrawing-room, where it took up a brasse warming-pan, and
returning with it into the bed-chamber, therein made so loud a noise, in
these captains' own words, it was as loud and scurvy as a ring of five
untuned bells rung backward; but the captains, not to seem afraid, next
day made mirth of what had past, and jested at the devil in the pan.
October 20. These captains and their company, still lodging as before,
were wakened in this night with some things flying about the rooms,

and out of one room into the other, as thrown with some great force.
Captain Hart, being in a slumber, was taken by the shoulder and shaked
until he did sit up in his bed, thinking that it had been one of his fellows,
when