Woodstock | Page 8

people
came next day to see the stones, and all observed that they were not of
such kind of stones as are naturall in the countrey thereabout; with
these were noise like claps of thunder, or report of cannon planted
against the rooms, heard by all that lodged in the outer courts, to their
astonishment, and at Woodstock town, taken to be thunder.
October 28. This night, both strange and differing noise from the
former first wakened Captain Hart, who lodged in the bed-chamber,
who, hearing Roe and Brown to groan, called out to Cockaine and

Crook to come and help them, for Hart could not now stir himself;
Cockaine would faine have answered, but he could not, or look about;
something, he thought, stopt both his breath and held down his eye-lids.
Amazed thus, he struggles and kickt about, till he had awaked Captain
Crook, who, half asleep, grew very angry at his kicks, and multiplied
words, it grew to an appointment in the field; but this fully recovered
Cockaine to remember that Captain Hart had called for help, wherefore
to them he ran in the other room, whom he found sadly groaning,
where, scraping in the chimney, he both found a candle and fire to light
it; but had not gone two steps, when something blew the candle out,
and threw him in the chair by the bedside, when presently cried out
Captain Carelesse, with a most pitiful voice, "Come hither, O come
hither, brother Cockaine, the thing's gone of me." Cockaine, scarce yet
himself, helpt to set him up in his bed, and after Captain Hart, and
having scarce done that to them, and also to the other two, they heard
Captain Crook crying out, as if something had been killing him.
Cockaine snacht up the sword that lay by their bed, and ran into the
room to save Crook, but was in much more likelyhood to kill him, for
at his coming, the thing that pressed Crook went of him, at which
Crook started out of his bed, whom Cockaine thought a spirit made at
him, at which Crook cried out "Lord help, Lord save me;" Cockaine let
fall his hand, and Crook, embracing Cockaine, desired his
reconcilement, giving him many thanks for his deliverance. Then rose
they all and came together, discoursed sometimes godly and sometimes
praied, for all this while was there such stamping over the roof of the
house, as if 1000 horse had there been trotting; this night all the stones
brought in the night before, and laid up in the withdrawingroom, were
all carried again away by that which brought them in, which at the
wonted time left of, and, as it were, went out, and so away.
October 29. Their businesse having now received so much
forwardnesse as to be neer dispatcht, they encouraged one the other,
and resolved to try further; therefore, they provided more lights and
fires, and further for their assistance, prevailed with their ordinary
keeper to lodge amongst them, and bring his mastive bitch; and it was
so this night with them, that they had no disturbance at all.

October 30. So well they had passed the night before, that this night
they went to bed, confident and careless; untill about twelve of the
clock, something knockt at the door as with a smith's great hammer, but
with such force as if it had cleft the door; then ent'red something like a
bear, but seem'd to swell more big, and walkt about the room, and out
of one room into the other, treading so heavily, as the floare had not
been strong enough to beare it. When it came into the bed-chamber, it
dasht against the beds' heads some kind of glass vessell, that broke in
sundry pieces, and sometimes would take up those pieces, and hurle
them about the room, and into the other room; and when it did not hurle
the glasse at their heads, it did strike upon the tables, as if many smiths,
with their greatest hammers, had been laying on as upon an anvil;
sometimes it thumpt against the walls as if it would beat a hole through;
then upon their heads, such stamping, as if the roof of the house were
beating down upon their heads; and having done thus, during the space
(as was conjectured) of two hours, it ceased and vanished, but with a
more fierce shutting of the doors than at any time before. In the
morning they found the pieces of glass about the room, and observed,
that it was much differing from that glasse brought in three nights
before, this being of a much thicker substance, which severall persons
which came in carried away some pieces of. The Commissioners were
in debate of lodging there no more;