before, he had given
orders for the arrest and imprisonment of a wandering drummer, who went
about the country with a large drum, disturbing quiet people and
soliciting alms, and that he had detained the man's drum, and that,
probably, the drummer was a wizard, and had sent evil spirits to haunt
his house, to be revenged of him. He became strengthened in his opinion
every day, especially when the noises assumed, to his fancy, a
resemblance to the beating of a drum, "like that at the breaking up of
a guard." Mrs. Mompesson being brought to bed, the devil, or the
drummer, very kindly and considerately refrained from making the usual
riot; but, as soon as she recovered strength, began again "in a ruder
manner than before, following and vexing the young children, and
beating their bedsteads with so much violence that every one expected
they would fall in pieces." For an hour together, as the worthy Mr.
Mompesson repeated to his wondering neighbours, this infernal drummer
"would beat 'Roundheads and Cuckolds,' the 'Tat-too,' and several other
points of war, as cleverly as any soldier." When this had lasted long
enough, he changed his tactics, and scratched with his iron talons
under the children's bed. "On the 5th of November," says the Rev.
Joseph Glanvil, "it made a mighty noise; and a servant, observing two
boards in the children's room seeming to move, he bid it give him one
of them. Upon which the board came (nothing moving it, that he saw),
within a yard of him. The man added, 'Nay, let me have it in my hand;'
upon which the spirit, devil, or drummer pushed it towards him so
close, that he might touch it. "This," continues Glanvil, "was in the
day-time, and was seen by a whole room full of people. That morning it
left a sulphureous smell behind it, which was very offensive. At night
the minister, one Mr. Cragg, and several of the neighhours, came to the
house, on a visit. Mr. Cragg went to prayers with them, kneeling at the
children's bedside, where it then became very troublesome and loud.
During prayer time, the spirit withdrew into the cock-loft, but
returned as soon as prayers were done; and then, in sight of the
company, the chairs walked about the room of themselves, the children's
shoes were hurled over their heads, and every loose thing moved about
the chamber. At the same time, a bed-staff was thrown at the minister,
which hit him on the leg, but so favourably, that a lock of wool could
not have fallen more sof