of my bringing up, together with my natural Temper, defended me from Fear; but the reft of my Schoolfellows were under terrible Notions of this Spirit or Spirits which had committed fuch Havock. With the Affiftance of this Apparition, I was refolved to retaliate my late Punishment on the Head of old Profody, and after having communicated my Scheme to my two principal Cronies, both about the fame Age with myfelf, refolutely fet about the Execution of it.

We procured two Cats of the Boar Kind, and, having provided a Quantity of Old red Cloth, we fewed up a Couple of very antic Dreffes for them, and then, cutting off their Claws, put Walnut Shells filled with Pitch upon their Feet: All this we had Opportunity to perform unobserved in a Garret which no-body ever entered, fituated at the fartheft Part of the Houfe, and where we kept our Familiars confined till the Moment they were to come to Action. It was on a Sunday in the Evening, when the whole Family were congregated in a large Hall, and our Master was reading and expounding the Scriptures, that we, on various Pretences, left the Room, and went up into our Confultation-chamber; where having fixed our Inftruments, and opened all the Chamber-doors we could come at, one of us discharged a small Pocket-piftol, at which Signal the Cats were fet loose in all their grotesque Attire, with a fufficient Quantity of Pep

per

per

rubbed under their Tails; and then we all ran down in a feeming Hurry and Precipitation, acquainting our Tyrant, that there were certainly ftrange Doings above Stairs, for that we could hear violent Stampings to and fro in every Room in the House. They were fufficiently alarmed before, at the Report of the Pistol, and presently heard a violent Stamping and Clattering in the Story over our Heads and the Entry. In fhort, the Cats, unufed to fuch Confinement, frighted with the Noife of their own Feet, and at the fame Time irritated with the Fire in their Tails, made a most hellish Uproar, and, flying from Place to Place with lamentable Cries and Squallings, one would have imagined the whole Militia of Hell had broken loose. The old Woman fell upon her Knees, Mifs Urfula fainted away, and the Pedant, after pronouncing with great Emotion and Emphasis, Lord have Mercy upon us! followed the Example of his Wife: The terrible Screams of the Boys, the Barking of two or three Dogs, and a Quantity of Brimftone which I had flily thrown into the Fire, whilft in the Confufion my Comrades had beat out the Candles, prefented fuch a Scene of Terror and Uproar, as can fcarcely be defcribed; but how was it increased, when the two Spectres flew into the Kitchen, and after overturning a whole Tier of Pewter, and demolishing a Shelf of Crockery Ware, entered with wild Screams into the Hall! and, one of them fet

tling for fome Time on the Back of our Mafter, he just gave one hideous Groan, and fell proftrate without Senfe on the Floor. Our Satisfaction was complete, when, by the unfavoury Smell that iffued from all Parties, we could gather the violent Convulfions Fear had put them into; and, taking Advantage of the prefent Moment, we pinched old Surly with Pins, and tweaked him by the Ears, fo that he roared out in a moft lamentable Manner, ever and anon, crying, Avant Satan! In the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, what art! All this while we pretended alfo to be in the utmost Agony, and exclaimed louder than all the reft together, not forgetting, however, to feize our feline Accomplices in Time; which we did unperceived of any one, and, ftripping them of their Habits, turned them out of Doors, flinging at the fame Time a Quantity of large Crackers flily into the Fire, which nade a loud Explosion, and shook the whole Room.

CHA P. IV.

Mifs Urfula runs away with her Sweetheart. -They examine the Houfe.-The Daughter returns. She difcovers the Prank, and the Authors of it. They are feized and confined.-Make their Escape.-He gets to his Father's with his Comrades.

OUNG Farmer Harrow, whofe Friendship

YOU

we had gained, by carrying Letters and ferving him in his Amour, having been informed of our Device, had furnished us with what Materials we were deficient in; and, as the old Man had prohibited him the Sight of his Daughter for fome Time, he thought this a good Opportunity to get her away from him, and therefore was waiting at fome Distance to fee the Event. It was a long Time before any one dared hold up his Head, but at length I cried out, with great Trepidation of Voice, I believe

they are gone—; upon which the Pedagouge raifing his Head up, and seeing the Coast clear, with a great many Exclamations of Lord have Mercy upon me! what dreadful Appearances are thefe! went to the Affiftance of his Wife, who with some Difficulty was perfuaded to arife. As to Mifs Urfula, as foon as the recovered, fhe run out of Doors with the utmost Expedition, and was immediately accosted by her Paramour, to whom he fled for

Succour ;

Succour; who, after endeavouring to abate her Apprehenfions, perfuaded her to take Shelter at his Father's, and not return to a Spot which the Devil or fome of his Imps had rendered fo dreadful: She was foon perfuaded to this, and fo mounting behind him he rode off with her, not without her fhewing the utmost Horror at the Sight of every Bush and Tree the paffed in the Way. Various were the Judgments of all Parties upon the late Adventure. Mrs. Profody, who by the Way never had looked up, was certain she saw several very horrid Shapes, belching Flames out of their Mouths and Noftrils; one of the Boys had feen a Thing as tall as the Room was long, all over covered with Brimftone and Fire; as to our Master, he not in the least doubted that they were imported from the infernal Regions, and, to ftrengthen his Opinion, remarked the fulphureous Scent they had left behind them. It was a long Time before they were fomewhat compofed, and then we went in Proceffion, each ftriving to be laft, to infpect the Rooms over Head; and diverfe Comments were made upon every Thing there, particularly at the Doors being all flung wide open, which, Mr. Profody well obferved, was not very necessary to fuch aerial Beings, seeing the Keyhole might as well have ferved for their Paffage; he complained greatly at their perfonal ill Usage of him, and his Imagination had magnified the Pricking of Pins into the fixing Claws and Talons into

all