and glided past the spot where we stood, pausingly.  But so deep was the awe that overcame me, as I stood there in the light of day, face to face with a human soul separate from her bones and flesh, that my heart and purpose both failed me.  I had resolved to speak to the spectre in the appointed form of words, but I did not.  I stood like one amazed and speechless, until she had passed clean out of sight.  One thing remarkable came to pass.  A spaniel dog, the favourite of young Master Bligh, had followed us, and lo! when the woman drew nigh, the poor creature began to yell and bark piteously, and ran backward and away, like a thing dismayed and appalled.  We returned to the house, and after I had said all that I could to pacify the lad, and to soothe the aged people, I took my leave for that time, with a promise that when I had fulfilled certain business elsewhere, which I then alleged, I would return and take orders to assuage these disturbances and their cause.

“January 7, 1665.—­At my own house, I find, by my books, what is expedient to be done; and then, Apage, Sathanas!

“January 9, 1665.—­This day I took leave of my wife and family, under pretext of engagements elsewhere, and made my secret journey to our diocesan city, wherein the good and venerable bishop then abode.

“January 10.—­Deo gratias, in safe arrival at Exeter; craved and obtained immediate audience of his lordship; pleading it was for counsel and admonition on a weighty and pressing cause; called to the presence; made obeisance; and then by command stated my case—­the Botathen perplexity—­which I moved with strong and earnest instances and solemn asseverations of that which I had myself seen and heard.  Demanded by his lordship, what was the succour that I had come to entreat at his hands?  Replied, licence for my exorcism, that so I might, ministerially, allay this spiritual visitant, and thus render to the living and the dead release from this surprise.  ‘But,’ said our bishop, ’on what authority do you allege that I am intrusted with faculty so to do?  Our Church, as is well known, hath abjured certain branches of her ancient power, on grounds of perversion and abuse.’  ‘Nay, my Lord,’ I humbly answered, ’under favour, the seventy-second of the canons ratified and enjoined on us, the clergy, anno Domini 1604, doth expressly provide, that “no minister, unless he hath the licence of his diocesan bishop, shall essay to exorcise a spirit, evil or good.”  Therefore it was,’ I did here mildly allege, ’that I did not presume to enter on such a work without lawful privilege under your lordship’s hand and seal.’  Hereupon did our wise and learned bishop, sitting in his chair, condescend upon the theme at some length with many gracious interpretations from ancient writers and from Holy Scripture, and I did humbly rejoin and reply, till the upshot was that he did call in his secretary and command him to draw the aforesaid faculty, forthwith and without further