was to sit up all night to engross it; as he was writing, he perceived a shadow on the parchment, from the candle; he looked up, and there appeared a hand, which immediately vanished; he was startled at it, but thought it might be only his fancy, being sleepy; so he writ on; by and by a fine white hand interposed between the writing and the candle (he could discern it was a woman’s hand) but vanished as before; I have forgot, it appeared a third time.  But with that the clerk threw down his pen, and would engross no more, but goes and tells his master of it, and absolutely refused to do it.  But it was done by somebody, and Sir Walter Long was prevailed with to seal and sign it.  He lived not long after; and his body did not go quiet to the grave, it being arrested at the church porch by the trustees of the first lady.  The heir’s relations took his part, and commenced a suit against Sir Walter (the second son) and compelled him to accept of a moiety of the estate; so the eldest son kept South-Wraxhall, and Sir Walter, the second son, Draycot-Cernes, &c.  This was about the middle of the reign of King James I.

I must not forget an apparition in my country, which appeared several times to Doctor Turbervile’s sister, at Salisbury; which is much talked of.  One married a second wife, and contrary to the agreement and settlement at the first wife’s marriage, did wrong the children by the first venter.  The settlement was hid behind a wainscot in the chamber where the Doctor’s sister did lie:  and the apparition of the first wife did discover it to her.  By which means right was done to the first wife’s children.  The apparition told her that she wandered in the air, and was now going to God.  Dr. Turbervile (oculist) did affirm this to be true.  See Mr. Glanvill’s “Sadducismus Triumphatus”.

To one Mr. Towes, who had been schoolfellow with Sir George Villers, the father of the first Duke of Buckingham, (and was his friend and neighbour) as he lay in his bed awake, (and it was day-light) came into his chamber, the phantom of his dear friend Sir George Villers:  said Mr. Towes to him, why, you are dead, what make you here ? said the Knight, I am dead, but cannot rest in peace for the wickedness and abomination of my son George, at Court.  I do appear to you, to tell him of it, and to advise and dehort him from his evil ways.  Said Mr. Towes, the Duke will not believe me, but will say that I am mad, or doat.  Said Sir George, go to him from me, and tell him by such a token (a mole) that he had in some secret place, which none but himself knew of.  Accordingly Mr. Towes went to the Duke, who laughed at his message.  At his return home the phantom appeared again, and told him that the Duke would be stabbed (he drew out a dagger) a quarter of a year after:  and you shall outlive him half a year; and the warning that you shall have of your death, will be, that your nose will fall a bleeding.  All which accordingly fell out so.  This account I have had (in the main)