it been possible to have rubbed on till then, but when it was thought absolutely necessary by my brother and all my friends that were consulted that I should quit the place, and that the reason of it was so publicly known that you must hear it from other hands, we concluded it much more proper you should receive the truth from us, than a thousand lies and absurdities from others; and much will you feel for what your poor wife has undergone, though I cannot in writing transmit all the particulars.

On the 2nd of last April I awoke about two in the morning (observe, I lay in the chintz room, having resigned the yellow room to Nurse and Mary) and in a few minutes after I heard the sound of feet in the lobby. I listened a considerable time at the lobby door; the sound drew near; upon this I rang my bell; my maid came, we searched the room, nothing to be found; Robert was called, and went round with as little success. This appeared to me extraordinary, but I should have thought little more of it; had I not, and all the servants in the house, except Sleepy Jack, heard the strangest noises of knocking, opening and shutting of doors, talking, explosions, sometimes as loud as the bursting of cannon.*

I kept it to myself, tremendous as it was, except telling Mrs. Newbolt, till four months were almost expired, when, as I was so hurt for want of rest, and thought I could not support it much longer, I took the resolution to tell my brother, who upon that determined to sit up; Captain Luttrell and his own man with him. The noise was heard in the lobby, and in different parts of the house; they went all over it, every door shut, every person in his room; they were astonished, and the next morning they both declared that no house was fit to live in where such noises were heard, and no natural cause appeared. You know how much the notion of haunted houses is exploded, and how careful any man would be of asserting it, and in that I think them right; as for myself, I am not afraid or ashamed to pronounce that it must proceed from a supernatural cause; but why, except as Darby imagineswho passed some days with me—there has been a murder committed that remains yet undiscovered, or for some other wise purpose, though not yet manifest? I am at a loss to explain the noises increasing and coming in the daytime. At length I determined quitting the place, and be assured, my dearest life, I did not take this painful step while it was possible to continue there; and I thank God I am as I am; the want of rest created a little fever on my

*This by me only once.

spirits, which the quiet life I have passed with the Newbolts, and Dr. Walsh's prescription, have removed, so that you need not have the least uneasiness about me. Whatever the cause of these disturbances is, I am sure there has always been something of the kind since we have lived here; you must recollect often hearing he doors open and shut below stairs, and your going down sometimes during the night, and finding no person there, The servants have behaved so well, and been so cautious, that the children have heard nothing of it, which was my great dread; they are now at Wolsey, which the Bishop desires I will command as my own, and I mean to go there next week, when I shall be able to get some necessaries from Hinton, and I can stay at Wolsey till the cold weather sets in. Sainsbury has behaved in the genteelest manner, and is certain Lady Hillsborough would not wish us to keep the house a moment longer than it would be a convenience. He has wrote to her, and when he receives an answer, will communicate to me; indeed, my dear, we cannot think of living there. Strange and recent (sic) as this must appear to you, be assured no means of investigating the truth has been left untried, and that it is no trick -though that is the current belief, and that Witerr (?) is concerned— but I know neither he nor any human being could carry it on. I have received the greatest friendship and attention from all my neighbours; the Shipleys have been particularly kind in offering me the house in town till the middle of January, and doing everything to contribute to my peace of mind, and so have the Newbolts. I shall not attempt to fix myself till you come over, as I can have Wolsey, I daresay, till that time, but if we should determine on going abroad, it will be very inconvenient to have any besides our own family, and by a letter from the lieutenant (G. Poyntz Ricketts), I forgot to mention, that the same noises have been heard by the servants since we quitted the house.

MR. SAINSBURY (LADY HILLSBOROUGH'S AGENT) TO MRS.

RICKETTS.

Marelands, September 18, 1771. MADAM,—At my return home, Sunday, I found a letter from Lady Hillsborough, in consequence of which I am this day going to Hinton with two of her men to sit up, under the permission, you gave me.

Her ladyship desires me to present her best compliments to you, and to inform you that she is very sorry you have been so much disturbed and frightened, and to assure you that she will do everyVOL. IX. N.S. 1872.

P P

I be youde to tre robbed on 20 de la vie it was songe tootay my by my once and my ends that wee could nel sold git the plate and that the reason of

buty known the you mis her from other hands, we concided i muž more proper you should receive the truth from u thas a toonané les and costrines from others: and much will you feel for what your poor wie has undergone, though I cannot in writing transms all the parties

On the mod of last April I awoke about two in the morning (observe. I lay in the chintz room having resigned the yellow room to Nurse and Mary, and in a few minutes after I heard the sound of feet in the lobby. I listened a considerable time at the lobby door; the wound drew near; upon this I rang my bell; my maid came, we varched the room, nothing to be found; Robert was called, and went round with as little success. This appeared to me extraordinary, but I should have thought little more of it; had I not, and all the servants in the house, except Sleepy Jack, heard the strangest noises of knocking, opening and shutting of doors, talking, explosions, sometimes as loud as the bursting of cannon.*

I kept it to myself, tremendous as it was, except telling Mrs. Newbolt, till four months were almost expired, when, as I was so hurt for want of rest, and thought I could not support it much longer, I took the resolution to tell my brother, who upon that determined to sit up; Captain Luttrell and his own man with him. The noise was heard in the lobby, and in different parts of the house; they went all over it, every door shut, every person in his room; they were astonished, and the next morning they both declared that no house was fit to live in where such noises were heard, and no natural cause appeared. You know how much the notion of haunted houses is exploded, and how careful any man would be of asserting it, and in that I think them right; as for myself, I am not afraid or ashamed to pronounce that it must proceed from a supernatural cause; but why, except as Darby imagines— who passed some days with me-there has been a murder committed that remains yet undiscovered, or for some other wise purpose, though not yet manifest? I am at a loss to explain the noises increasing and coming in the daytime. At length I determined quitting the place, and be assured, my dearest life, I did not take this painful step while it was possible to continue there; and I thank God I am as I am; the want of rest created a little fever on my

This by me only once.

spirits, which the quiet life I have passed with the Newbolts, and Dr. Walsh's prescription, have removed, so that you need not have the least uneasiness about me. Whatever the cause of these disturbances is, I am sure there has always been something of the kind since we have lived here; you must recollect often hearing he doors open and shut below stairs, and your going down sometimes during the night, and finding no person there, The servants have behaved so well, and been so cautious, that the children have heard nothing of it, which was my great dread; they are now at Wolsey, which the Bishop desires I will command as my own, and I mean to go there next week, when I shall be able to get some necessaries from Hinton, and I can stay at Wolsey till the cold weather sets in. Sainsbury has behaved in the genteelest manner, and is certain Lady Hillsborough would not wish us to keep the house a moment longer than it would be a convenience. He has wrote to her, and when he receives an answer, will communicate to me; indeed, my dear, we cannot think of living there. Strange and recent (sic) as this must appear to you, be assured no means of investigating the truth has been left untried, and that it is no trick —though that is the current belief, and that Witerr (?) is concerned— but I know neither he nor any human being could carry it on. I have received the greatest friendship and attention from all my neighbours; the Shipleys have been particularly kind in offering me the house in town till the middle of January, and doing everything to contribute to my peace of mind, and so have the Newbolts. I shall not attempt to fix myself till you come over, as I can have Wolsey, I daresay, till that time, but if we should determine on going abroad, it will be very inconvenient to have any besides our own family, and by a letter from the lieutenant (G. Poyntz Ricketts), I forgot to mention, that the same noises have been heard by the servants since we quitted the house.

MR. SAINSBURY (LADY HILLSBOROUGH'S AGENT) TO MRS.

RICKETTS.

Marelands, September 18, 1771. MADAM,-At my return home, Sunday, I found a letter from Lady Hillsborough, in consequence of which I am this day going to Hinton with two of her men to sit up, under the permission you gave me.

Her ladyship desires me to present her best compliments to you, and to inform you that she is very sorry you have been so much disturbed and frightened, and to assure you that she will do everyVOL. IX. N.S. 1872.

PP

thing in her power to find out who have used you so ill, and to beg your leave for me and two more to sit up, and shoot at the place whence any noise proceeds, and if nothing can be discovered by those means, then to advertise a reward of fifty guineas to any person that will discover the contriver of this wicked scheme.—I am, with great respect, madam, your most obedient humble servant,

JNO. SAINSBURY.

ROBERT CAMIS TO MRS. RICKETTS.

Henton, Sunday Morning.

HONOURED MADAM,-Mr. Sainsbury left our house about eleven o'clock, fryday, but he talked with Mother some time before he went of, and asked her a Great many questions Concerning the Noises. She told him Everything as She Could think of, that she had heard you and all the Rest of us say, he said he had not much notion of Spirits, but he Could not tell what God would pleas to send to find things out.

Dr. Dunford Gave me the notis to fasen it to the Curch, so I wrote a Coppy of itt, and sent itt to you. there is one att Henton, one at Bramdean, and one at Kimson. Dr. Dunford told me Mr. Sainsbury gave itt him. but I do not no what day itt was—

which is all at present from your Dut. Servant,

"THE NOTIS.

ROBERT CAMIS.

"WHAREAS Some evil disposed person or persons have for severel Months past freequently made divers kinds of noises in the Mantion house occupied by Mrs. RICKETTS, att Henton ampner. This is to give notis that if any person or persons will Discover the Auther or Authers thereof to me, such person or persons shall Receive a reward of Fifty Guineas, to be paid on the Conviction of the offenders, or if any person Concerned in makeing such Noises Will Discover his or her Acomplice or acomplices therein, such person shall be pardoned, and be intitled to the same Reward. to be paid on Conviction of the Offender. "JNO. SAINSBURY.

"Marelands, September 20, 1771."

ROBERT CAMIS TO MRS. RICKETTS.

March ye 8th.

HONOURED MADAM,—I hope you have received a letter that was directed to Hinton. I am very sorrey that we cannot find out the reason of the noise, that we might come to Hinton again, as we have not heard anything since. My mother came one morning last week,