Woodstock | Page 6

suddenly he was taken on the pate with a trencher, that it made
him shrink down into the bed-clothes, and all of them, in both rooms,
kept their heads at least within their sheets, so fiercely did three dozen
of trenchers fly about the rooms; yet Captain Hart ventured again to
peep out to see what was the matter, and what it was that threw, but
then the trenchers came so fast and neer about his ears, that he was fain
quickly to couch again. In the morning they found all their trenchers,
pots, and spits, upon and about their beds, and all such things as were
of common use scattered about the rooms. This night there were also,
in several parts of the room and outer rooms, such noises of beating at
doors, and on the walls, as if that several smiths had been at work; and
yet our captains shrunk not from their work, but went on in that, and
lodged as they had done before.
October 21. About midnight they heard great knocking at every door;
after a while the doors flew open, and into the withdrawing-room
entered something as of a mighty proportion, the figure of it they knew
not how to describe. This walkt awhile about the room shaking the
floor at every step, then came it up close to the bed-side, where lay
Captains Crook and Carelesse; and after a little pause, as it were, the
bed-curtains, both at sides and feet, were drawn up and down slowly,
then faster again for a quarter of an hour, then from end to end as fast
as imagination can fancie the running of the rings, then shaked it the
beds, as if the joints thereof had crackt; then walkt the thing into the
bed-chamber, and so plaied with those beds there; then took up eight
peuter dishes, and bouled them about the room and over the servants in
the truckle-beds; then sometimes were the dishes taken up and thrown
crosse the high beds and against the walls, and so much battered; but
there were more dishes wherein was meat in the same room, that were
not at all removed. During this, in the presence-chamber there was
stranger noise of weightie things thrown down, and, as they supposed,
the clefts of the King's Oak did roul about the room, yet at the wonted
hour went away, and left them to take rest, such as they could.

October 22. Hath mist of being set down, the officers imployed in their
work farther off, came not that day to Woodstock.
October 23. Those that lodged in the withdrawing-room, in the midst of
the night were awakened with the cracking of fire, as if it had been with
thorns and sparks of fire burning, whereupon they supposed that the
bed-chamber had taken fire, and listning to it farther, they heard their
fellows in bed sadly groan, which gave them to suppose they might be
suffocated; wherefore they called upon their servants to make all
possible hast to help them. When the two servants were come in, they
found all asleep, and so brought back word, but that there were no
bedclothes upon them; wherefore they were sent back to cover them,
and to stir up and mend the fire. When the servants had covered them
and were come to the chimney, in the corners they found their wearing
apparrel, boots, and stockings, but they had no sooner toucht the
embers, when the firebrands flew about their ears so fast, that away ran
they into the other room for the shelter of their cover-lids; then after
them walkt something that stampt about the room as if it had been
exceeding angry, and likewise threw about the trenchers, platters, and
all such things in the room--after two hours went out, yet stampt again
over their heads.
October 24. They lodged all abroad.
October 25. This afternoon was come unto them Mr. Richard Crook the
lawyer, brother to Captain Crook, and now deputy-steward of the
manner, unto Captain Parsons and Major Butler, who had put out Mr.
Hyans, his majestie's officer. To entertain this new guest the
Commissioners caused a very great fire to be made, of neer the
chimneyfull of wood of the King's Oak, and he was lodged in the
withdrawing-room with his brother, and his servant in the same room.
About the midst of the night a wonderful knocking was heard, and into
the room something did rush, which coming to the chimney-side, dasht
out the fire as with the stamp of some prodigious foot, then threw down
such weighty stuffe, what ere it was, (they took it to be the residue of
the clefts and roots of the King's Oak,) close by the bed-side, that the
house and bed shook