hich thing though he told me, I made no end
of my usual prayer. But suddenly one seemed to come in at the south
window of the chapel, right opposite to Kelly, while the stone was
heaved up without hands, and set down again; wonderful to behold. After
which I saw the man who came in at the window; he had his lower parts in
a cloud, and, with open arms, flew towards Kelly; at which sight he
shrunk back, and the creature took up between both hands the stone with
its frame of gold, and mounted up the way he came. Kelly caught at it,
but could not touch it; thereupon he was grievously alarmed, and had the
_tremor cordis_ for a good while after.[20] This my angelical stone
being taken away, I was mightily troubled, for the other stones in my
possession being made through man's skill and device, I had not a safe
warranty of their virtue, so that I might confidently trust in what they
should disclose. I was afraid, too, of the intrusion of wicked spirits
into them, who might impose on me with their delusions. This happened on
a Friday, being the 24th of April 1587, as I find it recorded in my
diary. But mark the manner of its return! The following month, on the
22d day, and on the same day of the week, about four hours post
meridian, as I and Kelly were walking out through the orchard, down the
river-side, he saw two little men fighting there furiously with swords;
and one said to the other, '_Thou hast beguiled me_.' As I drew near
they did not abate their heat, but the fray seemed to wax even hotter
than before. I at length said, '_Good friends, let me take up the matter
between you_;' whereupon they stayed, the elder of them saying, '_I sent
a present to thy wife, and this fellow hath taken it away_,' With this,
they again fought until the other was wounded in his thigh, which seemed
to bleed. Being in great pain, he took out of his bosom something that
I guessed to be the very treasure that I had lost. '_Now will I make
thee return it_,' said the first speaker; with that the other, who was
wounded, seemed to go suddenly out of sight, but came again ere I could
answer a word. The elder of them then asked him, saying, '_Hast thou
laid it under the right pillow of the bed where he lay yesternight_?'
With these words they both went towards a willow-tree on the right, by
the new stairs, which tree seemed to cleave open, and as they went in it
closed, and I never saw them more. With great haste I returned to my
chamber, where, lift