“*** I must declare, that I would not for the whole world undergo what I have undergone, upon spirits coming twice to me; their first coming was most dreadful to me, the thing being then altogether new, and consequently more surprizing, though at the first coming they did not appear to me, but only called to me at my chamber windows, rung bells, sung to me, and played on music, &c. but the last coming also carried terror enough; for when they came, being only five in number, the two women before mentioned, and three men, (though afterwards there came hundreds) they told me they would kill me, if I told any person in the house of their being there, which put me in some consternation, and I made a servant sit up with me four nights in my chamber before a fire, it being in the Christmas Holidays, telling no person of their being there. One of these spirits in women’s dress, lay down upon the bed by me every night; and told me if I slept, the spirits would kill me, which kept me waking for three nights. In the mean time, a near relation of mine went (though unknown to me) to a physician of my acquaintance, desiring him to prescribe me somewhat for sleeping, which he did, and a sleeping potion was brought me, but I set it by, being very desirous and inclined to sleep without it. The fourth night I could hardly forbear sleeping, but the spirit, lying on the bed by me, told me again, I should be killed if I slept; whereupon I rose, and sate by the fire-side, and in a while returned to my bed; and so I did a third time, but was still threatened as before: whereupon I grew impatient, and asked the spirits what they would have? Told them I had done the part of a christian, in humbling myself to God, and feared them not, and rose from my bed, took a cane, and knocked at the ceiling of my chamber, a near relation of mine lying then over me, who presently rose and came down to me, about two o’clock in the morning, to whom I said, you have seen me disturbed these four days past, and that I have not slept; the occasion of it was, that five spirits, which are now in the room with me, have threatened to kill me if I told any person of their being here, or if I slept, but I am not able to forbear sleeping longer, and acquaint you with it, and now stand in defiance of them; and thus I exerted myself about them; and notwithstanding their continued threats, I slept very well the next night, and continued so to do, though they continued with me above three months, day and night.”[10] The celebrated visions of Tasso appear to have been of the same nature. He fancied that he beheld a celestial being, with whom he held converse, in the presence of spectators, who perceived no apparition, and who heard no voice but that of the poet. Would that we could have exchanged the narratives of Beaumont’s reveries, for those of Tasso!