is, but the noise ceased for a while; when the spirit came again, and,
as they all agreed, brought with it seven devils worse than itself. One
of the servants now lighted a large candle, and placed himself in the
doorway between the two chambers, to see what passed; and, as he
watched, he plainly saw a hoof striking the candle and candlestick into
the middle of the room, and afterwards making three scrapes over the
snuff, scraped it out. Upon this the same person was so bold as to draw
a sword; but he had scarce got it out, when he felt an invisible hand
had hold of it too, and pulled with him for it, and, at length
prevailing, struck him so violently on the head with the hilt, that he
fell down for dead with the blow. At this instant was heard another
burst, like the discharge of the broadside of a ship of war; and, at
about a minute or two's distance each, no less than nineteen more such.
These shook the house so violently, that they expected every moment it
would fall upon their heads. The neighbours, on this, as has been said,
being all alarmed, flocked to the house in great numbers, and all
joined in prayer and psalm-singing; during which the noise still
continued in the other rooms, and the report of cannon was heard, as
from without, though no visible agent was seen to discharge them.

But what was the most alarming of all, and put an end to their
proceedings effectually, happened the next day, as they were all at
dinner; when a paper, in which they had signed a mutual agreement to
reserve a part of the premises out of the general survey, and afterwards
to share it equally amongst them, (which paper they had hid, for the
present, under the earth, in a pot in one corner of the room, in which
an orange-tree grew), was consumed in a wonderful manner, by the earth's
taking fire, with which the pot was filled, and burning violently with a
blue flame, and an intolerable stench, so that they were all driven out
of the house, to which they could never again be prevailed upon to
return.

This wonderful contrivance was all the invention of the memorable Joseph
Collins, of Oxford, otherwise called _Funny Joe_; who, having hired
himself for their Secretary, under the name of Giles Sharp, by knowing
the private traps belonging to the house, and the help of _pulvis
fulminans_ and other chemical preparations, and letting his
fellow-servants into the scheme, carried on the deceit, without
discovery, to the very last, so dextrou