For authorities, see Gardiner, _Prince Charles and the Spanish Marriage_, Vol. I, London, 1869; Dr. Brushfield’s _Raleghana_, Part VII; the _Dictionary of National Biography, s.n._; and the various Lives of Raleigh. THE SAMPFORD GHOST In 1810, considerable commotion was caused by the rumour that spread concerning a house in Sampford Peverell reputed to be haunted. The house belonged to a Mr. Tally, who let it to a Mr. Chave, son of a well-to-do yeoman of the neighbourhood, for a general shop and residence. The rumours reached the ears of the Rev. C. Colton, /M.A./, a clergyman at Tiverton, and he visited Sampford to investigate the matter, and wrote his experiences to the editor of the _Taunton Courier_ on 18 August. The tone of the letter is frank and sincere. “I am well aware that all who know me would not require the sanction of an oath, but as I am now addressing the public, I must consider myself before a tribunal of which my acquaintance constitutes a very small part. And first, I depose that after six nights at Mr. Chave’s house, and with a mind perfectly unprejudiced, after the most minute investigation and closest inspection of the premises, I am utterly unable to account for any of the phenomena. “I further depose, that in my visits to Mr. Chave’s house, I never had any other motive, direct or indirect, but an earnest wish to trace these phenomena to their true and legitimate cause. Also that I have in every instance found the people of the house most willing and ready to contribute everything in their power to co-operate with me in the detection of the cause of these unaccountable sights and violent blows and sounds. Also, that I have affixed a seal with a crest to every door, cavity, etc., in the house, through which any communication could be carried--that this seal was applied to each end of sundry pieces of paper in such a manner that the slightest attempt to open such doors, or pass such cavities, must have broken these papers--that none of these papers were deranged or broken; and also, that the phenomena that night were as unaccountable as ever. “Also, that it appears that this plot, if it be a plot, hath been carried on for many months, that it must be in the hands of more than fifty people, that the present owner is losing the value of his house, the tenant the customers of his shop, whom fear now prevents from visiting it after sunset.” To this and more, Mr. Colton took oath before B. Wood, Master in Chancery, Tiverton. This letter was animadverted upon by the editor and by writers to the _Taunton Courier_, as dealing in general, and giving no details. To this Mr. Colton (14 September) replied, giving particulars of what he had seen and heard. The house rented by Chave had for some time been looked upon as haunted. An apprentice boy lodging in it had been frightened by the apparition of a woman. Persons passing at night had seen strange lights in the windows. Mr. Colton goes on to say:--