Page:Account of some imaginary apparitions (NLS104186561).pdf/14

( 14 ) room appeared to be all in a flame; he saw many croſſes and inſcriptions injoining ſilence, and a paſſive acquieſcence in whatever ſhould happen; he law alſo in the middle of the room ſomething of a human appearance, very tall and very luminous. The viſion made a ſecond approach to the bedſide, but the gentleman recovering his fortitude the firſt moment of reflection, dexterouſly threw a ſlip-knot which he had faſtened to one of the bed-poſts over the phantom's neck, he inſtantly drew it cloſe, which brought him to the ground, and then threw himſelf upon him; the fall and the ſtruggle made ſo much noiſe that the other officer and the landlord ran up with the lights and weapons, and the goblin was found to be no other than the good friar, who having conceived ſomething more than a ſpiritual affection for his landlord's pretty daughter had played this infernal farce to gratify his paſſion.

It appeared that this fellow, who was near ſix feet high, had made himſelf appear ſtill higher, by putting upon his head a kind of tiara of imboſſed paper, and had alſo thruſt a ſtick through the ſleeves of his habit, which formed an appearance of a croſs, and left all his hands at liberty; and that he had rendered himſelf and his apparatus viſible in the dark by phoſphorus,

Another—from the life of J Lackington, Bookſeller.

T Wilkſcome, nine miles from Taunton a gentleman farmer's houſe was