Thesethingscontinuedforseveralnights，whenitcametotherecollectionofMr。Mompessonthatsometimebefore，hehadgivenordersforthearrestandimprisonmentofawanderingdrummer，whowentaboutthecountrywithalargedrum，disturbingquietpeopleandsolicitingalms，andthathehaddetainedtheman’sdrum，andthat，probably，thedrummerwasawizard，andhadsentevilspiritstohaunthishouse，toberevengedofhim。Hebecamestrengthenedinhisopinioneveryday，especiallywhenthenoisesassumed，tohisfancy，aresemblancetothebeatingofadrum，“likethatatthebreakingupofaguard。“Mrs。Mompessonbeingbroughttobed，thedevil，orthedrummer，verykindlyandconsideratelyrefrainedfrommakingtheusualriot；but，assoonassherecoveredstrength，beganagain“inarudermannerthanbefore，followingandvexingtheyoungchildren，andbeatingtheirbedsteadswithsomuchviolencethateveryoneexpectedtheywouldfallinpieces。“Foranhourtogether，astheworthyMr。
　　Mompessonrepeatedtohiswonderingneighbours，thisinfernaldrummer“wouldbeat’RoundheadsandCuckolds，“the’Tat-too，’andseveralotherpointsofwar，ascleverlyasanysoldier。“Whenthishadlastedlongenough，hechangedhistactics，andscratchedwithhisirontalonsunderthechildren’sbed。“Onthe5thofNovember，“saystheRev。JosephGlanvil，“itmadeamightynoise；andaservant，observingtwoboardsinthechildren’sroomseemingtomove，hebiditgivehimoneofthem。Uponwhichtheboardcamenothingmovingit，thathesaw，withinayardofhim。Themanadded，’Nay，letmehaveitinmyhand；’uponwhichthespirit，devil，ordrummerpushedittowardshimsoclose，thathemighttouchit。“This，“continuesGlanvil，“wasintheday-time，andwasseenbyawholeroomfullofpeople。Thatmorningitleftasulphureoussmellbehindit，whichwasveryoffensive。Atnighttheminister，oneMr。Cragg，andseveraloftheneighhours，cametothehouse，onavisit。Mr。Craggwenttoprayerswiththem，kneelingatthechildren’sbedside，whereitthenbecameverytroublesomeandloud。Duringprayertime，thespiritwithdrewintothecock-loft，butreturnedassoonasprayersweredone；andthen，insightofthecompany，thechairswalkedabouttheroomofthemselves，thechildren’sshoeswerehurledovertheirheads，andeveryloosethingmovedaboutthechamber。Atthesametime，abed-staffwasthrownattheminister，whichhithimontheleg，butsofavourably，thatalockofwoolcouldnothavefallenmoresoftly。“Onanotheroccasion，theblacksmithofthevillage，afellowwhocaredneitherforghostnordevil，sleptwithJohn，thefootman，thathealsomighthearthedisturbances，andbecuredofhisincredulity，whenthere“cameanoiseintheroom，asifonehadbeenshoeingahorse，andsomewhatcame，asitwere，withapairofpincers，“
　　snippingandsnappingatthepoorblacksmith’snosethegreaterpartofthenight。Nextdayitcame，pantinglikeadogoutofbreath；uponwhichsomewomanpresenttookabed-stafftoknockatit，“whichwascaughtsuddenlyoutofherhand，andthrownaway；andcompanycomingup，theroomwaspresentlyfilledwithabloomynoisomesmell，andwasveryhot，thoughwithoutfire，inaverysharpandseverewinter。Itcontinuedinthebed，pantingandscratchingforanhourandahalf，andthenwentintothenextroom，whereitknockedalittle，andseemedtorattleachain。“
　　Therumourofthesewonderfuloccurrencessoonspreadalloverthecountry，andpeoplefromfarandnearflockedtothehauntedhouseofTedworth，tobelieveordoubt，astheirnaturesledthem，butallfilledwithintensecuriosity。Itappears，too，thatthefameoftheseeventsreachedtheroyalear，andthatsomegentlemenweresentbytheKingtoinvestigatethecircumstances，anddrawupareportofwhattheysaworheard。WhethertheroyalcommissionersweremoresensiblementhantheneighboursofMr。Mompesson，andrequiredmoreclearandpositiveevidencethanthey，orwhetherthepowerswithwhichtheywerearmedtopunishanybodywhomightbefoundcarryingonthisdeception，frightenedtheevil-doers，isnotcertain；butGlanvilhimselfreluctantlyconfesses，thatallthetimetheywereinthehouse，thenoisesceased，andnothingwasheardorseen。“However，“
　　sayshe，“astothequietofthehousewhenthecourtierswerethere，theintermissionmayhavebeenaccidental，orperhapsthedemonwasnotwillingtogivesopublicatestimonyofthosetransactionswhichmightpossiblyconvincethosewho，hehadrather，shouldcontinueinunbeliefofhisexistence。“
　　Assoonastheroyalcommissionerstooktheirdeparture，theinfernaldrummerre-commencedhisantics，andhundredsofpersonsweredailypresenttohearandwonder。Mr。Mompesson’sservantwassofortunateasnotonlytohear，buttoseethispertinaciousdemon；foritcameandstoodatthefootofhisbed。“Theexactshapeandproportionofithecouldnotdiscover；buthesawagreatbody，withtworedandglaringeyes，which，forsometime，werefixedsteadilyonhim，andatlengthdisappeared。“Innumerableweretheanticsitplayed。Onceitpurredlikeacat；beatthechildren’slegsblackandblue；putalongspikeintoMr。Mompesson’sbed，andaknifeintohismother’s；filledtheporrengerswithashes；hidaBibleunderthegrate；andturnedthemoneyblackinpeople’spockets。“Onenight，“
　　saidMr。Mompesson，inalettertoMr。Glanvil，“thereweresevenoreightofthesedevilsintheshapeofmen，who，assoonasagunwasfired，wouldshuffleawayintoanarbour；“acircumstancewhichmighthaveconvincedMr。Mompessonofthemortalnatureofhispersecutors，ifhehadnotbeenofthenumberofthoseworsethanblind，whoshuttheireyesandrefusetosee。
　　Inthemeantimethedrummer，thesupposedcauseofallthemischief，passedhistimeinGloucestergaol，whitherhehadbeencommittedasarogueandavagabond。BeingvisitedonedaybysomepersonfromtheneighbourhoodofTedworth，heaskedwhatwasthenewsinWiltshire，andwhetherpeopledidnottalkagreatdealaboutadrumminginagentleman’shousethere？Thevisiterreplied，thatheheardofnothingelse；uponwhichthedrummerobserved，“Ihavedoneit；Ihavethusplaguedhim；andheshallneverbequietuntilhehathmademesatisfactionfortakingawaymydrum。“Nodoubtthefellow，whoseemstohavebeenagipsy，spokethetruth，andthatthegangofwhichhewasamemberknewmoreaboutthenoisesatMr。Mompesson’shousethananybodyelse。Uponthesewords，however，hewasbroughttotrialatSalisbury，forwitchcraft；and，beingfoundguilty，wassentencedtotransportation；asentencewhich，foritsleniency，excitednolittlewonderinthatage，whensuchanaccusation，whetherprovedornot，generallyinsuredthestakeorthegibbet。Glanvilsays，thatthenoisesceasedimmediatelythedrummerwassentbeyondtheseas；butthat，somehoworother，hemanagedtoreturnfromtransportation；“byraisingstormsandaffrightingtheseamen，itwassaid；“whenthedisturbanceswereforthwithrenewed，andcontinuedatintervalsforseveralyears。Certainly，iftheconfederatesofthisrovinggipsyweresopertinaciousintormentingpoorweakMr。
　　Mompesson，theirpertinacityisamostextraordinaryinstanceofwhatrevengeiscapableof。Itwasbelievedbymany，atthetime，thatMr。
　　Mompessonhimselfwasprivytothewholematter，andpermittedandencouragedthesetricksinhishouseforthesakeofnotoriety；butitseemsmoreprobablethatthegipsiesweretherealdelinquents，andthatMr。Mompessonwasasmuchalarmedandbewilderedashiscredulousneighhours，whoseexcitedimaginationsconjuredupnosmallportionofthesestories，“Whichrolled，andastheyrolled，grewlargereveryhour。“
　　Manyinstances，ofasimilarkind，duringtheseventeenthcentury，mightbegleanedfromGlanvilandotherwritersofthatperiod；buttheydonotdiffersufficientlyfromthesetojustifyadetailofthem。Themostfamousofallhauntedhousesacquireditsnotorietymuchnearerourowntime；andthecircumstancesconnectedwithitaresocurious，andaffordsofairaspecimenoftheeasycredulityevenofwell-informedandsensiblepeople，astomeritalittlenoticeinthischapter。TheCockLaneGhost，asitwascalled，keptLondonincommotionforaconsiderabletime，andwasthethemeofconversationamongthelearnedandtheilliterate，andineverycircle，fromthatoftheprincetothatofthepeasant。
　　Atthecommencementoftheyear1760，thereresidedinCockLane，nearWestSmithfield，inthehouseofoneParsons，theparishclerkofSt。Sepulchre’s，astockbroker，namedKent。Thewifeofthisgentlemanhaddiedinchild-bedduringthepreviousyear，andhissister-in-law，MissFanny，hadarrivedfromNorfolktokeephishouseforhim。Theysoonconceivedamutualaffection，andeachofthemmadeawillintheother’sfavour。TheylivedsomemonthsinthehouseofParsons，who，beinganeedyman，borrowedmoneyofhislodger。Somedifferencearosebetwixtthem，andMr。Kentleftthehouse，andinstitutedlegalproceedingsagainsttheparishclerkfortherecoveryofhismoney。
　　Whilethismatterwasyetpending，MissFannywassuddenlytakenillofthesmall-pox；and，notwithstandingeverycareandattention，shediedinafewdays，andwasburiedinavaultunderClerkenwellchurch。Parsonsnowbegantohintthatthepoorladyhadcomeunfairlybyherdeath，andthatMr。Kentwasaccessorytoit，fromhistoogreateagernesstoenterintopossessionofthepropertyshehadbequeathedhim。Nothingfurtherwassaidfornearlytwoyears；butitwouldappearthatParsonswasofsorevengefulacharacter，thathehadneverforgottenorforgivenhisdifferenceswithMr。Kent，andtheindignityofhavingbeensuedfortheborrowedmoney。Thestrongpassionsofprideandavariceweresilentlyatworkduringallthatinterval，hatchingschemesofrevenge，butdismissingthemoneaftertheotherasimpracticable，until，atlast，anotableonesuggesteditself。Aboutthebeginningoftheyear1762，thealarmwasspreadoveralltheneighbourhoodofCockLane，thatthehouseofParsonswashauntedbytheghostofpoorFanny，andthatthedaughterofParsons，agirlabouttwelveyearsofage，hadseveraltimesseenandconversedwiththespirit，whohad，moreover，informedher，thatshehadnotdiedofthesmallpox，aswascurrentlyreported，butofpoison，administeredbyMr。Kent。Parsons，whooriginated，tookgoodcaretocountenancethesereports；and，inanswertonumerousinquiries，saidhishousewaseverynight，andhadbeenfortwoyears，infact，eversincethedeathofFanny，troubledbyaloudknockingatthedoorsandinthewalls。Havingthuspreparedtheignorantandcredulousneighhourstobelieveorexaggerateforthemselveswhathehadtoldthem，hesentforagentlemanofahigherclassinlife，tocomeandwitnesstheseextraordinaryoccurrences。Thegentlemancameaccordingly，andfoundthedaughterofParsons，towhomthespiritaloneappeared，andwhomaloneitanswered，inbed，tremblingviolently，havingjustseentheghost，andbeenagaininformedthatshehaddiedfrompoison。Aloudknockingwasalsoheardfromeverypartofthechamber，whichsomystifiedthenotveryclearunderstandingofthevisiter，thathedeparted，afraidtodoubtandashamedtobelieve，butwithapromisetobringtheclergymanoftheparishandseveralothergentlemenonthefollowingday，toreportuponthemystery。
　　Onthefollowingnighthereturned，bringingwithhimthreeclergymen，andabouttwentyotherpersons，includingtwonegroes，when，uponaconsultationwithParsons，theyresolvedtositupthewholenight，andawaittheghost’sarrival。ItwasthenexplainedbyParsons，thatalthoughtheghostwouldneverrenderitselfvisibletoanybodybuthisdaughter，ithadnoobjectiontoanswerthequestionsthatmightbeputtoit，byanypersonpresent，andthatitexpressedanaffirmationbyoneknock，anegativebytwo，anditsdispleasurebyakindofscratching。Thechildwasthenputintobedalongwithhersister，andtheclergymenexaminedthebedandbed-clothestosatisfythemselvesthatnotrickwasplayed，byknockinguponanysubstanceconcealedamongtheclothes。Asonthepreviousnight，thebedwasobservedtoshakeviolently。
　　Aftersomehours，duringwhichtheyallwaitedwithexemplarypatience，themysteriousknockingwasheardinthewall，andthechilddeclaredthatshesawtheghostofpoorFanny。Thefollowingquestionswerethengravelyputbytheclergyman，throughthemediumofoneMaryFrazer，theservantofParsons，andtowhomitwassaidthedeceasedladyhadbeenmuchattached。Theanswerswereintheusualfashion，byaknockorknocks:——
　　“DoyoumakethisdisturbanceonaccountoftheillusageyoureceivedfromMr。Kent？“——“Yes。“