A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P R S T U V W X Z

Woodstock; or, The Cavalier

S >> Sir Walter Scott >> Woodstock; or, The Cavalier




_October_ 25. This afternoon was come unto them Mr. Richard Crook the
lawyer, brother to Captain Crook, and now deputy-steward of the manner,
unto Captain Parsons and Major Butler, who had put out Mr. Hyans, his
majestie's officer. To entertain this new guest the Commissioners caused
a very great fire to be made, of neer the chimneyfull of wood of the
King's Oak, and he was lodged in the withdrawing-room with his brother,
and his servant in the same room. About the midst of the night a
wonderful knocking was heard, and into the room something did rush,
which coming to the chimney-side, dasht out the fire as with the stamp
of some prodigious foot, then threw down such weighty stuffe, what ere
it was, (they took it to be the residue of the clefts and roots of the
King's Oak,) close by the bed-side, that the house and bed shook with
it. Captain Cockaine and his fellow arose, and took their swords to go
unto the Crooks. The noise ceased at their rising, so that they came to
the door and called. The two brothers, though fully awaked, and heard
them call, were so amazed, that they made no answer until Captain
Cockaine had recovered the boldness to call very loud, and came unto the
bed-side; then faintly first, after some more assurance, they came to
understand one another, and comforted the lawyer. Whilst this was thus,
no noise was heard, which made them think the time was past of that
night's trouble, so that, after some little conference, they applied
themselves to take some rest. When Captain Cockaine was come to his own
bed, which he had left open, he found it closely covered, which he much
wondered at; but turning the clothes down, and opening it to get in, he
found the lower sheet strewed over with trenchers. Their whole three
dozen of trenchers were orderly disposed between the sheets, which he
and his fellow endeavoring to cast out, such noise arose about the room,
that they were glad to get into bed with some of the trenchers. The
noise lasted, a full half hour after this. This entertainment so ill did
like the lawyer, and being not so well studied in the point as to
resolve this the devil's law case, that he next day resolved to be gone;
but having not dispatcht all that he came for, profit and perswasions
prevailed with him to stay the other hearing, so that he lodged as he
did the night before.

_October_ 26. This night each room was better furnished with fire and
candle than before; yet about twelve at night came something in that
dasht all out, then did walk about the room, making a noise, not to be
set forth by the comparison with any other thing; sometimes came it to
the bedsides, and drew the curtains to and fro, then twerle them, then
walk about again, and return to the bed-posts, shake them with all the
bed, so that they in bed were put to hold one upon the other, then walk
about the room again, and come to the servants' bed, and gnaw and
scratch the wainscot head, and shake altogether in that room; at the
time of this being in doing, they in the bed-chamber heard such strange
dropping down from the roof of the room, that they supposed 'twas like
the fall of money by the sound. Captain Cockaine, not frightened with so
small a noise, (and lying near the chimney) stept out, and made shift to
light a candle, by the light of which he perceived the room strewed over
with broken glass, green, and some of it as it were pieces of broken
bottles; he had not been long considering what it was, when suddenly his
candle was hit out, and glass flew about the room, that he made haste to
the protection of the coverlets; the noise of thundering rose more
hideous than at any time before; yet, at a certain time, all vanisht
into calmness. The morning after was the glass about the room, which the
maid that was to make clean the rooms swept up into a corner, and many
came to see it. But Mr. Richard Crook would stay no longer, yet as he
stopt, going through Woodstock town, he was there heard to say, that he
would not lodge amongst them another night for a fee of 500 L.

_October 27_. The Commissioners had not yet done their work, wherefore
they must stay; and being all men of the sword, they must not seem
afraid to encounter with any thing, though it be the devil; therefore,
with pistols charged, and drawn swords laied by their bedsides, they
applied themselves to take some rest, when something in the midst of
night, so opened and shut the window casements with such claps, that it
awakened all that slept; some of them peeping out to look what was the
matter with the windows, stones flew about the rooms as if hurled with
many hands; some hit the walls, and some the beds' heads close above the
pillows, the dints of which were then, and yet (it is conceived) are to
be seen, thus sometime throwing stones, and sometime making thundering
noise for two hours space it ceast, and all was quiet till the morn.
After their rising, and the maid come in to make the fire, they looked
about the rooms; they found fourscore stones brought in that night, and
going to lay them together in the corner where the glass (before
mentioned) had been swept up, they found that every piece of glass had
been carried away that night. Many people came next day to see the
stones, and all observed that they were not of such kind of stones as
are naturall in the countrey thereabout; with these were noise like
claps of thunder, or report of cannon planted against the rooms, heard
by all that lodged in the outer courts, to their astonishment, and at
Woodstock town, taken to be thunder.

_October_ 28. This night, both strange and differing noise from the
former first wakened Captain Hart, who lodged in the bed-chamber, who,
hearing Roe and Brown to groan, called out to Cockaine and Crook to come
and help them, for Hart could not now stir himself; Cockaine would faine
have answered, but he could not, or look about; something, he thought,
stopt both his breath and held down his eye-lids. Amazed thus, he
struggles and kickt about, till he had awaked Captain Crook, who, half
asleep, grew very angry at his kicks, and multiplied words, it grew to
an appointment in the field; but this fully recovered Cockaine to
remember that Captain Hart had called for help, wherefore to them he ran
in the other room, whom he found sadly groaning, where, scraping in the
chimney, he both found a candle and fire to light it; but had not gone
two steps, when something blew the candle out, and threw him in the
chair by the bedside, when presently cried out Captain Carelesse, with a
most pitiful voice, "Come hither, O come hither, brother Cockaine, the
thing's gone of me." Cockaine, scarce yet himself, helpt to set him up
in his bed, and after Captain Hart, and having scarce done that to them,
and also to the other two, they heard Captain Crook crying out, as if
something had been killing him. Cockaine snacht up the sword that lay by
their bed, and ran into the room to save Crook, but was in much more
likelyhood to kill him, for at his coming, the thing that pressed Crook
went of him, at which Crook started out of his bed, whom Cockaine
thought a spirit made at him, at which Crook cried out "Lord help, Lord
save me;" Cockaine let fall his hand, and Crook, embracing Cockaine,
desired his reconcilement, giving him many thanks for his deliverance.
Then rose they all and came together, discoursed sometimes godly and
sometimes praied, for all this while was there such stamping over the
roof of the house, as if 1000 horse had there been trotting; this night
all the stones brought in the night before, and laid up in the
withdrawingroom, were all carried again away by that which brought them
in, which at the wonted time left of, and, as it were, went out, and so
away.

_October_ 29. Their businesse having now received so much forwardnesse
as to be neer dispatcht, they encouraged one the other, and resolved to
try further; therefore, they provided more lights and fires, and further
for their assistance, prevailed with their ordinary keeper to lodge
amongst them, and bring his mastive bitch; and it was so this night with
them, that they had no disturbance at all.

_October_ 30. So well they had passed the night before, that this night
they went to bed, confident and careless; untill about twelve of the
clock, something knockt at the door as with a smith's great hammer, but
with such force as if it had cleft the door; then ent'red something like
a bear, but seem'd to swell more big, and walkt about the room, and out
of one room into the other, treading so heavily, as the floare had not
been strong enough to beare it. When it came into the bed-chamber, it
dasht against the beds' heads some kind of glass vessell, that broke in
sundry pieces, and sometimes would take up those pieces, and hurle them
about the room, and into the other room; and when it did not hurle the
glasse at their heads, it did strike upon the tables, as if many smiths,
with their greatest hammers, had been laying on as upon an anvil;
sometimes it thumpt against the walls as if it would beat a hole
through; then upon their heads, such stamping, as if the roof of the
house were beating down upon their heads; and having done thus, during
the space (as was conjectured) of two hours, it ceased and vanished, but
with a more fierce shutting of the doors than at any time before. In the
morning they found the pieces of glass about the room, and observed,
that it was much differing from that glasse brought in three nights
before, this being of a much thicker substance, which severall persons
which came in carried away some pieces of. The Commissioners were in
debate of lodging there no more; but all their businesse was not done,
and some of them were so conceited as to believe, and to attribute the
rest they enjoyed the night before this last, unto the mastive bitch;
wherefore, they resolved to get more company, and the mastive bitch, and
try another night.

_October_ 31. This night, the fires and lights prepared, the ordinary
keeper and his bitch, with another man perswaded by him, they all took
their beds and fell asleep. But about twelve at night, such rapping was
on all sides of them, that it wakened all of them; as the doors did seem
to open, the mastive bitch fell fearfully a yelling, and presently ran
fiercely into the bed to them in the truckle-bed; as the thing came by
the table, it struck so fierce a blow on that, as that it made the frame
to crack, then took the warming-pan from off the table, and stroke it
against the walls with so much force as that it was beat flat together,
lid and bottom. Now were they hit as they lay covered over head and ears
within the bed-clothes. Captain Carelesse was taken a sound blow on the
head with the shoulder-blade bone of a dead horse, (before they had been
but thrown at, when they peept up, and mist;) Browne had a shrewed blow
on the leg with the backbone, and another on the head, and every one of
them felt severall blows of bones and stones through the bed-clothes,
for now these things were thrown as from an angry hand that meant
further mischief; the stones flew in at window as shot out of a gun, nor
was the bursts lesse (as from without) than of a cannon, and all the
windows broken down. Now as the hurling of the things did cease, and the
thing walkt up and down, Captain Cockaine and Hart cried out, In the
name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, what are you? What would you
have? What have we done that you disturb us thus? No voice replied, (as
the Captains said, yet some of their servants have said otherwise,) and
the noise ceast. Hereupon Captains Hart and Cockaine rose, who lay in
the bed-chamber, renewed the fire and lights, and one great candle, in a
candlestick, they placed in the door, that might be seen by them in both
the rooms. No sooner were they got to bed, but the noise arose on all
sides more loud and hideous than at any time before, insomuch as (to use
the Captains' own words) it returned and brought seven devils worse than
itself; and presently they saw the candle and candlestick in the passage
of the door, dasht up to the roof of the room, by a kick of the hinder
parts of a horse, and after with the hoof trode out the snuff, and so
dasht out the fire in the chimnies. As this was done, there fell, as
from the ceiling, upon them in the truckle-beds such quantities of
water, as if it had been poured out of buckets, which stunk worse than
any earthly stink could make; and as this was in doing, something crept
under the high beds, tost them up to the roof of the house, with the
Commissioners in them, until the testers of the beds were beaten down
upon, and the bedsted-frames broke under them; and here some pause being
made, they all, as if with one consent, started up, and ran down the
stairs until they came into the Councel Hall, where two sate up
a-brewing, but now were fallen asleep; those they scared much with the
wakening of them, having been much perplext before with the strange
noise, which commonly was taken by them abroad for thunder, sometimes
for rumbling wind. Here the Captains and their company got fire and
candle, and every one carrying something of either, they returned into
the Presence-Chamber, where some applied themselves to make the fire,
whilst others fell to prayers, and having got some clothes about them,
they spent the residue of the night in singing psalms and prayers;
during which, no noise was in that room, but most hideously round about,
as at some distance.

It should have been told before, how that when Captain Hart first rose
this night, (who lay in the bed-chamber next the fire,) he found their
book of valuations crosse the embers smoaking, which he snacht up and
cast upon the table there, which the night before was left upon the
table in the presence amongst their other papers; this book was in the
morning found a handful burnt, and had burnt the table where it lay;
Browne the clerk said, he would not for a 100 and a 100 L that it had
been burnt a handful further.

This night it happened that there were six cony-stealers, who were come
with their nets and ferrets to the cony-burrows by Rosamond's Well; but
with the noise this night from the Mannor-house, they were so terrified,
that like men distracted away they ran, and left their haies all ready
pitched, ready up, and the ferrets in the cony-burrows.

Now the Commissioners, more sensible of their danger, considered more
seriously of their safety, and agreed to go and confer with Mr. Hoffman,
the minister of Wotton, (a man not of the meanest note for life or
learning, by some esteemed more high,) to desire his advice, together
with his company and prayers. Mr. Hoffman held it too high a point to
resolve on suddenly and by himself, wherefore desired time to consider
upon it, which being agreed unto, he forthwith rode to Mr. Jenkinson and
Mr. Wheat, the two next Justices of Peace, to try what warrant they
could give him for it. They both (as 'tis said from themselves)
encouraged him to be assisting to the Commissioners, according to his
calling.

But certain it is, that when they came to fetch him to go with them, Mr.
Hoffman answered, that he would not lodge there one night for 500 L, and
being asked to pray with them, he held up his hands and said, that he
would not meddle upon any terms.

Mr. Hoffman refusing to undertake the quarrel, the Commissioners held it
not safe to lodge where they had been thus entertained any longer, but
caused all things to be removed into the chambers over the gatehouse,
where they stayed but one night, and what rest they enjoyed there, we
have but an uncertain relation of, for they went away early the next
morning; but if it may be held fit to set down what hath been delivered
by the report of others, they were also the same night much affrighted
with dreadful apparitions; but observing that these passages spread much
in discourse, to be also in particulars taken notice of, and that the
nature of it made not for their cause, they agreed to the concealing of
things for the future; yet this is well-known and certain, that the
gate-keeper's wife was in so strange an agony in her bed, and in her
bed-chamber such noise, (whilst her husband was above with the
Commissioners,) that two maids in the next room to her, durst not
venture to assist her, but affrighted ran out to call company, and their
master, and found the woman (at their coming in) gasping for breath; and
the next day said, that she saw and suffered that, which for all the
world she would not be hired to again.

From Woodstock the Commissioners removed unto Euelme, and some of them
returned to Woodstock the Sunday se'nnight after, (the book of
Valuations wanting something that was for haste left imperfect,) but
lodged not in any of those rooms where they had lain before, and yet
were not unvisited (as they confess themselves) by the devil, whom they
called their nightly guest; Captain Crook came not untill Tuesday night,
and how he sped that night the gate-keeper's wife can tell if she
dareth, but what she hath whispered to her gossips, shall not be made a
part of this our narrative, nor many more particulars which have fallen
from the Commissioners themselves and their servants to other persons;
they are all or most of them alive, and may add to it when they please,
and surely have not a better way to be revenged of him who troubled
them, than according to the proverb, tell truth and shame the devil.

There remains this observation to be added, that on a Wednesday morning
all these officers went away; and that since then diverse persons of
severall qualities, have lodged often and sometimes long in the same
rooms, both in the presence, withdrawing-room, and bed-chamber belonging
unto his sacred Majesty; yet none have had the least disturbance, or
heard the smallest noise, for which the cause was not as ordinary as
apparent, except the Commissioners and their company, who came in order
to the alienating and pulling down the house, which is wellnigh
performed.



A SHORT SURVEY OF WOODSTOCK, NOT TAKEN BY ANY OF THE BEFORE-MENTIONED
COMMISSIONERS.

(This Survey of Woodstock is appended to the preceding pamphlet)


The noble seat, called Woodstock, is one of the ancient honours
belonging to the crown. Severall mannors owe suite and service to the
place; but the custom of the countrey giving it but the title of a
mannor, we shall erre with them to be the better understood.

The mannor-house hath been a large fabrick, and accounted amongst his
majestie's standing houses, because there was alwaies kept a standing
furniture. This great house was built by King Henry the First, but
ampleyfied with the gate-house and outsides of the outer-court, by King
Henry the Seventh, the stables by King James.

About a bow-shot from the gate south-west, remain foundation signs of
that structure, erected by King Henry the Second, for the security of
Lady Rosamond, daughter of Walter Lord Clifford, which some poets have
compared to the Dedalian labyrinth, but the form and circuit both of the
place and ruins show it to have been a house and of one pile, perhaps of
strength, according to the fashion of those times, and probably was
fitted with secret places of recess, and avenues to hide or convey away
such persons as were not willing to be found if narrowly sought after.
About the midst of the place ariseth a spring, called at present
Rosamond's Well; it is but shallow, and shows to have been paved and
walled about, likely contrived for the use of them within the house,
when it should be of danger to go out.

A quarter of a mile distant from the King's house, is seated Woodstook
town, new and old. This new Woodstock did arise by some buildings which
Henry the Second gave leave to be erected, (as received by tradition,)
at the suite of the Lady Rosamond, for the use of out-servants upon the
wastes of the manner of Bladon, where is the mother church; this is a
hamlet belonging to it, though encreased to a market town by the
advantage of the Court residing sometime near, which of late years they
have been sensible of the want of; this town was made a corporation in
the 11th year of Henry the Sixth, by charter, with power to send two
burgesses to parliament or not, as they will themselves.

Old Woodstock is seated on the west side of the brook, named Glyme,
which also runneth through the park; the town consists not of above four
or five houses, but it is to be conceived that it hath been much larger,
(but very anciently so,) for in some old law historians there is mention
of the assize at Woodstock, for a law made in a Micelgemote (the name of
Parliaments before the coming of the Norman) in the days of King
Ethelred.

And in like manner, that thereabout was a king's house, if not in the
same place where Henry the First built the late standing pile before
his; for in such days those great councils were commonly held in the
King's palaces. Some of those lands have belonged to the orders of the
Knights Templers, there being records which call them, _Terras quas Rex
excambiavit cum Templariis_.

But now this late large mannor-house is in a manner almost turned into
heaps of rubbish; some seven or eight rooms left for the accommodation
of a tenant that should rent the King's medows, (of those who had no
power to let them,) with several high uncovered walls standing, the
prodigious spectacles of malice unto monarchy, which ruines still bear
semblance of their state, and yet aspire in spight of envy, or of
weather, to show, What kings do build, subjects may sometimes shake, but
utterly can never overthrow.

That part of the park called the High-park, hath been lately subdivided
by Sir Arthur Haselrig, to make pastures for his breed of colts, and
other parts plowed up. Of the whole saith Roffus Warwicensis, in MS.
Hen. I. p. 122. _Fecit iste Rex Parcum de Woodstock, cum Palatio, infra
praedictum Parcum, qui Parcus erat primus Parcus Angliae, et continet
in circuitu septem Miliaria; constructus erat. Anno 14 hujus Regis, aut
parum post_. Without the Park the King's demesne woods were, it cannot
well be said now are, the timber being all sold off, and underwoods so
cropt and spoiled by that beast the Lord Munson, and other greedy
cattle, that they are hardly recoverable. Beyond which lieth Stonefield,
and other mannors that hold of Woodstock, with other woods, that have
been aliened by former kings, but with reservation of liberty for his
majestie's deer, and other beasts of forrest, to harbour in at pleasure,
as in due place is to be shewed.

* * * * *

PREFACE.

It is not my purpose to inform my readers how the manuscripts of that
eminent antiquary, the Rev. J. A. ROCHECLIFFE, D.D., came into my
possession. There are many ways in which such things happen, and it is
enough to say they were rescued from an unworthy fate, and that they
were honestly come by. As for the authenticity of the anecdotes which I
have gleaned from the writings of this excellent person, and put
together with my own unrivalled facility, the name of Doctor Rochecliffe
will warrant accuracy, wherever that name happens to be known.

With his history the reading part of the world are well acquainted; and
we might refer the tyro to honest Anthony a Wood, who looked up to him
as one of the pillars of High Church, and bestows on him an exemplary
character in the _Athenae Oxonienses_, although the Doctor was educated
at Cambridge, England's other eye.

It is well known that Doctor Rochecliffe early obtained preferment in
the Church, on account of the spirited share which he took in the
controversy with the Puritans; and that his work, entitled _Malleus
Haeresis_, was considered as a knock-down blow by all except those who
received it. It was that work which made him, at the early age of
thirty, Rector of Woodstock, and which afterwards secured him a place in
the Catalogue of the celebrated Century White;--and worse than being
shown up by that fanatic, among the catalogues of scandalous and
malignant priests admitted into benefices by the prelates, his opinions
occasioned the loss of his living of Woodstock by the ascendency of
Presbytery. He was Chaplain, during most part of the Civil War, to Sir
Henry Lee's regiment, levied for the service of King Charles; and it was
said he engaged more than once personally in the field. At least it is
certain that Doctor Rochecliffe was repeatedly in great danger, as will
appear from more passages than one in the following history, which
speaks of his own exploits, like Caesar, in the third person. I suspect,
however, some Presbyterian commentator has been guilty of interpolating
two or three passages. The manuscript was long in possession of the
Everards, a distinguished family of that persuasion. (It is hardly
necessary to say, unless to some readers of very literal capacity, that
Dr. Rochecliffe and his manuscripts are alike apocryphal.)

During the Usurpation, Doctor Rochecliffe was constantly engaged in one
or other of the premature attempts at a restoration of monarchy; and was
accounted, for his audacity, presence of mind, and depth of judgment,
one of the greatest undertakers for the King in that busy time; with
this trifling drawback, that the plots in which he busied himself were
almost constantly detected. Nay, it was suspected that Cromwell himself
sometimes contrived to suggest to him the intrigues in which he engaged,
by which means the wily Protector made experiments on the fidelity of
doubtful friends, and became well acquainted with the plots of declared
enemies, which he thought it more easy to disconcert and disappoint than
to punish severely.

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