astonished her much, and while she was to Mr. Gresham's was a tray fuil of thinking about it, other things in different china, &c. a japan bread-basket, some places began to tumble about, some of mahogany waiters, with some bottles of ihem breaking, attended with violent liquors, jars of pickles, &e. and a pier noises all over the house; a clock tum- glass, which was taken down by Mr. bled down and the case broke; a lan- Saville, (a neighbour of Mrs. Golding's ;) tern that hung on the staircase was he gave it to one Robert Hames, who thrown down and the glass broke to laid it on the grass-plat at Mr. Gresham's; pieces; an earthen pan of salted beef but before he could put it out of his broke to pieces and the beef fell about ; hands, some parts of the frame on each all this increased her surprise, and side flew off; it raining at that time, Mrs. brought several persons about her, among Golding desired it might be brought whom was Mr. Rowlidge, a carpenter, into the parlour, where it was put under who gave it as his opinion that the a side-board, and a dressing-glass along foundation was giving way and that the with it; it had not been there long before house was tumbling down, occasioned by the glasses and china which stood on the the too great weight of an additional side-board, began to tumble about and room erected above: “ so ready,” says fall down, and broke both the glasses to the narrative, “are we to discover natu- pieces. Mr. Saville and others being ral causes for every thing!"

asked to drink a glass of wine or rum, Mrs. Golding ran into Mr. Gresham's both the bottles broke in pieces before house, next door to her, where she fainted, they were uncorked. and in the interim, Mr. Rowlidge, and Mrs. Golding's surprise and fear in. other persons, were removing Mrs. Gold- creasing, she did not know what to do ing's effects from her house, for fear of or where to go; wherever she and her the consequences prognosticated. At maid were, these strange, destructive cirthis time all was quiet; Mrs. Golding's cumstances followed her, and how to maid remaining in her house, was gone help or free herself from them, was not up stairs, and when called upon several in her power or any other person's pretimes to come down, for fear of the dan- sent: her mind was one confused chaos, gerous situation she was thought to be lost to herself and every thing about her, in, she answered very coolly, and after drove from her own home, and afraid some time came down deliberately, there would be none other to receive her, without any seeming fearful apprehen- she at last left Mr. Gresham's, and went sions.

to Mr. Mayling's, a gentleman at the Mrs. Pain was sent for from Brixton- next door, here she staid about three causeway, and desired to come directly, quarters of an hour, during which time as her aunt was supposed to be dead ;- . nothing happened. Her maid staid at this was the message to her. When Mrs. Mr. Gresham's, to help put up what few Pain came, Mrs. Golding was come to things remained unbroken of her mistress's, herself, but very faint from terror. in a back apartment, when a jar of

Among the persons who were present, pickles that stood upon a table, turned was Mr. Gardner, a surgeon, of Clapham, upside down, then a jar of raspberry jam whom Mrs. Pain desired to bleed her broke to pieces. aunt, which he did; Mrs. Pain asked Mrs. Pain, not choosing her aunt should him if the blood should be thrown away; stay too long at Mr. Mayling's, for fear he desired it might not, as he would of being troublesome, persuaded her to examine it when cold. These minute go to her house at Rush Common, near particulars would not be taken notice of, Brixton-causeway, where she would enbut as a chain to what follows. For the deavour to make her as happy as she next circumstance is of a more astonish- could, hoping by this time all was over ; ing nature than any thing that had as nothing had happened at that gentiepreceded it; the blood that was just man's house while she was there. This congealed, sprung out of the basın upon was about two o'clock in the afternoon. the floor, and presently after the basin Mr. and Miss Gresham were at Mr. broke to pieces; this china basin was Pain's house, when Mrs. Pain, Mrs. the only thing broke belonging to Mr. Golding, and her maid went there. Gresham; a bottle of rum that stood by being about dinner time they all dined it broke at the same time.

together; in the interim Mrs. Golding's Among the things that were removed servant was sent to her house to see how

a

things remained. When she returned, stood the tumbler, and a candlestick. A she told them nothing had happened since case bottle then flew to pieces. they left it. Sometime after Mr. and Miss The next circumstance was, a ham, that Gresham went home, every thing remain- hung on one side of the kitchen chimney, ing quiet at Mr. Pain's : but about eight raised itself from the hook and fell down o'clock in the evening a fresh scene to the ground. Some time after, another began; the first thing that happened ham, that hung on the other side of the was, a whole row of pewter dishes, chimney, likewise underwent the same except one, fell from off a shelf to the fate. Then a flitch of bacon, which hung middle of the floor, rolled about a little up in the same chimney, fell down. while, then settled, and as soon as they All the family were eye-witnesses to were quiet, turned upside down; they these circumstances as well as other perwere then put on the dresser, and went sons, some of whom were so alarmed and through the same a second time: next fell shocked, that they could not bear to stay. a whole row of pewter plates from off At all the times of action, Mrs.Golding's the second shelf over the dresser to servant was walking backwards and forthe ground, and being taken up and put wards, either in the kitchen or parlour, or on the dresser one in another, they were wherever some of the family happened to thrown down again. Two eggs were be. Nor could they get her to sit down upon one of the pewter shelves, one five minutes together, except at one time of them flew off, crossed the kitchen, for about half an hour towards the mornstruck a cat on the head, and then broke ing, when the family were at prayers in the to pieces.

parlour ; then all was quiet ; but, in the Next Mary Martin, Mrs. Pain's ser- midst of the greatest confusion, she was vant, went to stir the kitchen fire, she got as much composed as at any other time, to the right hand side of it, being a large and with uncommon coolness of temper chimney as is usual in farm houses, a pestle advised her mistress not to be alarmed or and mortar that stood nearer the left hand uneasy, as she said these things could not end of the chimney shelf, jumped about be helped. six feet on the floor. Then went candle- « This advice,"it is observed in the narsticks and other brasses : scarce any thing rative, surprised and startled her mistress, remaining in its place. After this the almost as much as the circumstances that glasses and china were put down on the occasioned it. “For how can we suppose," floor for fear of undergoing the same fate. says the narrator, “that a girl of about

A glass tumbler that was put on the twenty years old, (an age when female tifloor jumped about two feet and then midity is too often assisted by superstition,) broke. Another that stood by it jumped could remain in the midst of such calaabout at the same time, but did not break mitous circumstances, (except they protill some hours after, when it jumped again ceeded from causes best known to herself,) and then broke. A china bowl that stood and not be struck with the same terror as in the parlour jumped from the floor, to every other person was who was present. behind a table that stood there. This These reflections led Mr. Pain, and at the was most astonishing, as the distance from end of the transactions, likewise Mrs. where it stood was between seven and Golding, to think that she was not altogeeight feet, but was not broke. It was ther so unconcerned as she appeared to be." put back by Richard Fowler, to its place, About ten o'clock at night, they sent where it remained some time, and then over the way to Richard Fowler, to desire flew to pieces.

he would come and stay with them. He The next thing that followed was a mus- came and continued till one in the morntard-pot, that jumped out of a closet ing, when he was so terrified, that he and was broke. A single cup that stood could remain no longer. upon the table (almost the only thing re- As Mrs. Golding could not be persuadmaining) jumped up, Alew across the ed to go to bed, Mrs. Pain, at one o'clock, kitchen, ringing like a bell, and then was made an excuse to go up stairs to her dashed to pieces against the dresser. A youngest child, under pretence of getting tumbler with rum and water in it, that it to sleep; but she really acknowledged it stood upon a waiter upon a table in the was through fear, as she declared she parlour, jumped about ten feet and was could not sit up to see such strange things broke. The table then fell down, and going on, as every thing one after another along with it a silver tankard belonging to was broken, till there was not above two or Mrs. Golding, the waiter in which had three cups and saucers remaining ou: of a

.

considerable quantity of china, &c. which six and seven o'clock on Tuesday morn-
was destroyed to the amount of some ing. At Mrs. Golding's were broken the
pounds.

quantity of three pails full of glass,
About five o'clock on Tuesday morning, china, &c. Mrs. Pain's filled two pails

. the 7th, Mrs. Golding went up to her The accounts here related are in the niece, and desired her to get up, as the words of the "narrative," which bears the noises and destruction were so great she attestation of the witnesses before mencould continue in the house no longer. tioned. The affair is still remembered by Mrs. Golding and her maid went over the many persons : it is usually denominated way to Richard Fowler's: when Mrs. the “ Stockwell Ghost," and deemed Golding's maid had seen her safe to inexplicable. It must be recollected, Richard Fowler's, she came back to Mrs. however, that the mysterious move Pain, to help her to dress the children in ments were never made but when Ann the barn, where she had carried them for Robinson, Mrs. Golding's maid-serfear of the house falling. At this time vant, was present, and that they wholly all was quiet: they then went to Fowler's, ceased when she was dismissed. Though and then began the same scene as had these two circumstances tend to prove that happened at the other places. All was this girl was the cause of the disturbances, quiet here as well as elsewhere, till the scarcely any one who lived at that time maid returned.

listened patiently to the presumption, or When they got to Mr. Fowler's, he be without attributing the whole to witchcraft. gan to light a fire in his back room. One lady, whom the editor of the Every When done, he put the candle and candle- Day Book conversed with several times on stick upon a table in the fore room. This the subject, firmly believed in the witchapartment Mrs. Golding and her maid craft, because she had been eye-witness had passed through. Another candle- to the animation of the inanimate crockstick with a tin lamp in it that stood by ery and furniture, which she said could it, were both dashed together, and fell to not have been effected by human meansthe ground. At last the basket of coals it was impossible. He derived, however, tumbled over, and the coals rolling about a solution of these“ impossibilities” from the room, the maid desired Richard the late Mr. J. B-, at his residence Fowler not to let her mistress remain in Southampton-street, Camberwell, tothere, as she said, wherever she was, the wards the close of the year 1817. Mr. same things would follow. In conse- B said, all London was in an upquence of this advice, and fearing greater roar about the “ Stockwell Ghost" for a losses to himself, he desired Mrs. Gold- long time, and it would have made more ing would quit his house ; but first beg- noise than the “ Cock-lane Ghost," if it ged her to consider within herself, for her had lasted longer; but attention to it graown and the public sake, whether or not dually died away, and most people beshe had not been guilty of some atrocious lieved it was supernatural. Mr. Bcrime, for which Providence was deter. in continuation, observed, that some years mined to pursue her on this side the after it happened, he became acquainted grave. Mrs. Golding told him she would with this very Ann Robinson, without not stay in bis house, or any other person's, knowing for a long time that she had been as her conscience was quite clear, and she the servant-maid to Mrs. Golding. He could as well wait the will of Providence learned it by accident, and told her what in her own house as in any other place he had heard. She admitted it was true, whatever; upon which she and her maid and in due season, he says, he got all the went home, and Mrs.Pain went with them. story out. She had fixed long horse hairs After they had got to Mrs. Golding's, a to some of the crockery, and

put

wires pail of water, that stood on the floor, boil- under others; on pulling these, the “ moved like a pot; a box of candles fell from ables” of course fell

. Mrs. Golding was a shelf in the kitchen to the floor, and they terribly frightened, and so were all who rolled out, but none were broken, and the saw any thing tumble. Ann Robintable in the parlour fell over.

son hersell, dexterously threw many of Mr. Pain then desired Mrs. Golding to the things down, which the persons pre send her maid for his wife to come to sent, when they turned round and saw them, and when she was gone a!l was them in motion or broken, attributed to quiet; upon her return she was immedi- unseen agency. These spectators were ately discharged, and do disturbances all too much alarmed by their own dread happened afterwards; this was between of infernal power to examine any thing.

Plough Monday The first Monday after Twelfth-day is in these times, the twelve days of Christcalled Plough Monday, and appears to mas are devoted to pastime, although the have received that name because it was custom remains. Formerly, indeed, little the first 'day after Christmas that hus- was done in the field at this season, and bandmen resumed the plough. In some according to "Tusser Redivivus," during parts of the country, and especially in the the Christmas holidays, gentlemen feasted north, they draw the plough in procession the farmers, and every farmer feasted his to the doors of the villagers and towns- servants and taskmen. Then Plough people. Long ropes are attached to it, and Monday reminded them of their business, ihirty or forty men, stripped to their clean and on the morning of that day, the men white shirts, but protected from the wea- and maids strove who should show their ther by waistcoats beneath, drag it along. readiness to commence the labours of the Their arms and shoulders are decorated year, by rising the earliest. If the ploughwith gay-coloured ribbons, tied in large man could get his whip, his plough-staff, knots and bows, and their hats are smart- hatchet, or any field implement, by the ened in the same way. They are usually fireside, before the maid could get her accompanied by an old woman, or a boy kettle on, she lost her Shrove-tide cock to dressed up to represent one; she is gaily be the men. Thus did our forefathers strive dizened, and called the Bessy. Sometimes to allure youth to their duty, and provided the sport is assisted by a humorous coun- them innocent mirth as well as labour. tryman to represent a fool. He is covered On Plough Monday night the farmer gave with ribbons, and attired in skins, with a them a good supper and strong ale. In depending tail, and carries a box to collect some places, where the ploughman went money from the spectators. They are to work on Plough Monday, if, on his attended by music, and Morris-dancers return at night, he came with his whip to when they can be got; but there is always the kitchen-hatch, and cried “ Cock in a sportive dance with a few lasses in all pot," before the maid could cry “ Cock their finery, and a superabundance of rib- on the dunghill,” he gained a cock for bons. When this merriment is well ma- Shrove Tuesday. naged, it is very pleasing. The money Blomefield's History of Norfolk tend. collected is spent at night in conviviality. to clear the origin of the annual proces. li must not be supposed, however, thatsions on Plough Monday. Anciently, a