‘Afterwards the said Noise began to be more dreadful and greater yet, and in more places, which mightily disordered Sir _William’s_ ancient Father; and his Lady and Children very much. Upon which they were thinking upon leaving the House. Sir _William_ was willing that they should, but unwilling to leave it himself, and thereupon they all continued. At this time Sir _William_ had a Plummer putting up Lead about the House, to convey the Rain which fell into a Cistern, and this knocking was often against the Lead, and often against the Iron that bore it, in imitation of the Plummers knocking in the Day-time. He likewise had Carpenters at the same time, and sometimes the Noise was like their Chopping at the Wood in the Yard, insomuch that the head Carpenter said, That if he had not known his Servants to be in the House, he would have thought they had been chopping. Sometimes it was like the Servants Chopping of Coals in the Coal Yard; sometimes knocking at the Doors of Out-houses, at the Wash-house, Brew-house, and Stable-doors; and, as they followed it from place to place, it was still immediately, and in one instant removed. These were the usual Noises that were every Night when it came, which was 3 or 4 times a Week.’ It got worse until October, when Sir William had to go to London, to Parliament, when it entirely ceased. As years went on, these manifestations appear to have been of a much milder type. The belief in witchcraft and the personal power of the Devil was much shaken in Queen Anne’s reign, but _the Ghost_ began to be introduced. In the following the two are well mixed, but, as we have nothing to do with such silly things as ghosts, this narrative will not take up much time. ‘AN EXACT NARRATIVE OF MANY SURPRIZING MATTERS OF FACT UNCONTESTABLY WROUGHT BY AN EVIL SPIRIT, OR SPIRITS, IN THE HOUSE OF MASTER _IAN SMAGGE_, FARMER IN _CANVY ISLAND_ NEAR _LEIGH_, IN _ESSEX_, UPON THE 10TH, 13TH, 14TH, 15TH, AND 16TH OF _SEPTEMBER_ LAST, IN THE DAYTIME.’ LONDON, 1709. ‘This now Dwelling-House of _Ian Smagge_, standing in _Canvy_ Island, in the County of _Essex_, is said to have been Built, and for a great while Inhabited by a certain Person deceased; who, with his Wife, were lookt upon in their Life-time, jointly to have scrap’d together in the said House, by Fraudulent and Oppressive means, a considerable lump of Pelf. Having for a long time carried on this groveling Employ, the Wife being in a declining Condition, went to _London_ to be advis’d for her Health; but Sickness increasing, and she conceiving she should die, desir’d the Man with whom she lodg’d, that happened to be the same Person that now lives in the said disturb’d House, to acquaint her Husband, She would be Buried in a Place call’d _Benfleet_, near _Canvy_-Island, where her deceased Children lay: To which he answered, ’Twas all one where the Body was dispos’d, so the Soul was Happy.