“About the year 1667, being with some persons of honour in the house of a nobleman in the west country, which had formerly been a nunnery: I must confess I had often heard the servants, and others that inhabited or lodged there, speak much of the noises, stirs, and apparitions that frequently disturbed the house, but had at that time no apprehensions of it; for the house being full of stranger’s, the nobleman’s steward, Mr. C. lay with me in a fine wainscoat-room, called my ladies’ chamber; we went to our lodging pretty early, and having a good fire in the room, we spent some time in reading, in which he much delighted: then having got into bed, and put out the candles, we observed the room to be very light, by the brightness of the moon, so that a wager was laid between us, that it was possible to read written hand by that light upon the bed where we lay; accordingly I drew out of my pocket a manuscript, which he read distinctly in the place where he lay: we had scarce made an end of discoursing about that affair, when I saw (my face being towards the door which was locked) entering into the room, five appearances of very fine and lovely women, they were of excellent stature, and their dresses seemed very fine, but covered all but their faces, with their light veils, whose skirts trailed largely on the floor. They entered in a file one after the other, and in that posture walked round the room, till the foremost came, and stood by that side of the bed where I lay (with my left hand over the side of the bed; for my head rested on that arm, and I determined not to alter the posture in which I was) she struck me upon that hand with a blow that felt very soft, but I did never remember whether it were cold or hot: I demanded in the name of the blessed Trinity, what business they had there, but received no answer; then I spoke to Mr. C. Sir, do you see what fair guests we have come to visit us? before which they all disappeared: I found him in some kind of agony, and was forced to grasp him on the breast with my right hand (which was next him underneath the bed-clothes) before I could obtain speech of him; then he told me that he had seen the fair guests I spoke of, and had heard me speak to them; but withal said, that he was not able to speak sooner unto me, being extremely affrighted at the sight of a dreadful monster, which assuming a shape, betwixt that of a lion and a bear, attempted to come upon the bed’s foot. I told him, I thanked God nothing so frightful had presented itself to me; but I hoped (through his assistance) not to dread the ambages of hell. It was a long time before I could compose him to sleep, and though he had had many disturbances in his own room, and understood of others in the house, yet he acknowledged he had never been so terrified, during many years abode there. The next day at dinner he shewed to divers persons of principal quality, the mark that had been occasioned on his breast by the gripe I was forced to give