Glanville's description of the strange events includes the comment, "In such silly tricks it was frequent." This passage reminded me of some of the anecdotes recounted to me by the Centrahoma family - seemingly, in stark contrast with clich'e demonic or (back then) witchcraft associations.
In the introduction to the second part of his book, Glanvill's commentary shows that he was not without skepticism in regard to testimonials of unexplained phenomena: "... there are ten thousand silly lying stories of witchcraft and apparitions among the vulgar... I grant that melancholy and imagination have very great force, and can beget strange persuasions. And that many stories of witchcraft and apparitions have been but melancholy fancies."
Glanvill's report of the case included a description of his visit, accompanied by a friend, to the Mompesson family's house. Glanvill recounted strange sights and sounds, such as hearing "a strange scratching" from different places in the children's bedroom. I believe it is of great significance that-similar to my own experience in Centrahoma-Glanville was not frightened by his uncanny experiences at the house. He wrote:
It will I know be said by some that my friend and I were under some affright, and so fancied noises and sights that were not. This is the eternal evasion. But if it be possible to know how a man is affected, when in fear, and when unconcerned, I certainly know for mine own part, that during the whole time of my being in the room, and in the house, I was under no more affrightment than I am, while I write this relation.
In "Saducismus Triumphatus" Glanvill recounted a seemingly "preternatural" incident that he hadn't previously made known. There was a mysterious nocturnal "great knocking" at the door of the chamber where he was sleeping in the Mompesson house. "I asked who was there several times, but the knocking still continued without answer. At last I said, "In the name of God, who is it, and what would you have?" To which a voice answered, "Nothing with you"." Glanvill first assumed the response was from some servant of the house but in the morning Mompesson and the servants assured him that the noise had not been made by them.
Glanvill concluded about John Mompesson:
Mr. Mompesson is a gentleman, of whose truth in this account, I have not the least ground of suspicion, he being neither vain nor credulous, but a discreet, sagacious and manly person. Now the credit of matters of fact depends much upon the relators, who, if they cannot be deceived themselves nor supposed any ways interested to impose upon others, ought to be credited. For upon these circumstances, all human faith is grounded...
Glanvill could find no reason to doubt Mompesson's account of the extraordinary occurrences in his house.
He suffered by it in his name, in his estate, in all his affairs, and in the general peace of his family. The unbelievers in the matter of spirits and witches took him for an impostor. Many others judged the permission of such an extraordinary evil to be the judgment of God upon him, for some notorious wickedness or impiety. Thus his name was continually exposed to censure, and his estate suffered, by the concourse of people from all parts to his house, by the diversion it have him from his affairs, by the discouragement of servants, by reason of which he could hardly get any to live with him.
'Tis true, that when the gentlemen the King sent were there, the house was quiet, and nothing seen nor heard that night, which was confidently and with triumph urged by many, as a confutation of the story. But 'twas bad logic to conclude in matters of fact from a single negative, and such a one against numerous affirmatives, and to affirm, that a thing was never done, because not at such a particular time, and that nobody ever saw what this man or that did not. By the same way of reasoning, I may infer that there were never any robberies done on Salisbury Plain, Hounslow Heath, or the other noted places, because I have often traveled all those ways, and yet was never robbed...
Glanvill noted about Mompesson's house, "... the disturbance was not constant, but intermitted sometimes several days, sometimes weeks." Glanvill observed about the intermissions of the strange displays: "... this circumstance will afford but a very slender inference against the credit of the story, except among those who are willing to take any thing for an argument against things which they have an interest not to acknowledge."
Tags: wiccan energy work elks post 2011 genuine greatness secret seven unlocking how weight loss spells work nude disappearing hanky magician stripper magician job for idiot free voodoo magic spells
