IT has been the opinion of some people, as well Divines as as others, that there are no such things as Spirits, Appa­rations, Daemons Visible and the like; but that all the af­frightments of Men and Women proceeding from the sup­posed sight of the aforesaid Objects, are no more or other than the pure effects of prejudic'd fancy, weakness of Heart, &c. It is the design therefore of this paper, to convince the incre­dulity of these Atheistically principlied persons, (as I may justly call them) (since they are opposite to express Scrip­ture, and try'd Experience) by an instance of this nature which is so far from being seigned or false, that there can be some scores of eye and ear-witnesses to be produc'd, who will upon any occasion attest the reality of this subsequent Relati­on, and all this too not to be enqu red after, or left in doubt by distance of place, or other difficulties, since the Circumstan­ces and thing it self may be prov'd in this very City; and though the modest gravity, and indeed, sorrow of the Wife and Relations of the Deceased (whom we will presently name) has put a stop to any particular publication of the ensuing pas­sages, yet since she has by malicious Tongues been censur'd as contributing, if not causing the Melancholly Dissatisfacti­ons of her Husband aforesaid, she cannot be displeased in hearing her own Vindication, and exposing the plain matter of fact according to the truth declared by several of her own Family, as well as confirm'd by her sorrowful self: Which is as followeth. Thomas Cook by Trade a Stone-cutter, living between Grays-Inn-Lane and Leather-Lane, had lived with hi [...] Wife Elizabeth Cooke for many years, during which time he ha [...] (being in himself of a surly nature) many bickering proceeding [Page 4] chiefly from his ill Husbandry, he indeed working pr [...] b [...]d hi [...]self, but would upon the receipt of his Money, t [...] little or no care of his Family; So that his two Children a [...] Wife had wholly their own Subsistance from the Wives o [...] Industry, who was by Trade a Body's-Maker, while he wou [...] be drinking out his daily gettings, and indeed, not witho [...] shrewd Suspicion of keeping bad Women company: However, nothing of such moment (as can be possibly gather'd fro [...] any of his Family) in the whole time they lived together, h [...] ned, as to make any Impression or Dissatisfaction more th [...] ordinary, indeed he had by his lavish Expences, brough [...] himself to such Inconveniences, that occasioned him during t [...] whole tearm of their living together, to be Arrested thir [...] times, and he as often experimented the pious fondness of h [...] Wife, in being every time reliev'd and ransom'd by her peculiar Charge and Industry: So that the Malicious and base Scandals raised by ignorant People, or prejudic'd Heads, are who [...] ly confuted and evinc'd, some of which pretend that Jealou [...] caused his Melancholy, and that he should suspect the fidelit [...] of his good Wife, whose Honesty and Virtue has been in [...] her Neighbourhood, both approv'd and applauded; others i [...] pute the disturbance of his Spirit, to his having left sever [...] Sums of Money hid and conceal'd; but this from the ver [...] meanest of his Circumstances in the World is invalied; and [...] speak truth, neither his Wife, nor any of his Family ca [...] give the least probable reason for this Disturbance he puts them too, except it be, that his Heart being so hardned by the Al­lurements, Instigation and Temptation of the Devil, that though on his sick Bed, (which most commonly renders the Consciences and Actions of evil-Livers in visible and mournful Characters) he could not heartily set himself to such a sincere Sorrow, Grief and Repentance for his Sins, as was requisite, or that the Subtilty of the Devil made them so black and nu­merous before him, that he wholy despaired of God Almigh­ [...] infinite Mercy, and the effectual Mediation and Merits of his only Son our most Blessed Saviour, and so left the World [Page 5] in a sort of Grudging and Grief, as may very pr [...]ly [...] prov'd from several Expressions that dropt from him during his Sickness, especially towards the latter end: For his good Wife during his Sickness, (which lasted a whole week and no more, and began with a sort of troublesome Hickup,) his good Wife I say, being willing and ready to take care for the future wellfare of his Soul, as well as for the present ease and amendment of his Body; would frequently kneel down and pray heartily by him, at some of which times, he would shew himself very devour, and bear a part in her pious Eja­culations, as once he cry'd out to her after she had been zea­lously praying: Ah! Dear Wife, doubtless the good and great God will have respect to the fervend Sincerity of thy Prayers; [...]nd I and my Family shall fare the better for them, at ano­ther time he was wholy desperate, and in a great agony Ex­claimed: Ah! tis too late, too late, you and I my Dear, you and I have a greater Account than this to reckon for, thus would he vary, and turn between Hope and Despair; and to [...]he last, exprest himself as Doubtful and Fearful, that he [...]hould not obtain God Almighty's Mercy and Forgiveness of [...]is Sins, and in that Condition dy'd about the sixth or seventh [...]ay after his first Ill-ness: And now the Disconsolate Widow [...]aving Discharged a good Conscience in a strict care, and Du­ [...]iful Attendance of her Husband living, was thinking of a Modest and Decent Disposal of his Corps now Dead, and ac­ [...]ordingly had him Interr'd with all the Circumstances usual [...]nd proper; but to her great Amazement, was scarce well re­ [...]urnd from his Buryal to her own House, when there was [...]eard a great clattering noise as the falling of Pewter or Shelves, [...]o that the VVidow thinking the VVine-Vessel and other things [...]y the carelessness of the Maid was fallen down, was just upon chiding, till upon a Search, they found all things in their [...]ight order, to their great Astonishment: The fourth night al­ [...]er his Burial about M [...]dnight, they heard a great tumbling [...]f Stones, and pecking as if some body had been at work in [...]he Shop; But that which made the VVidow believe it, a [Page 6] Daemon or Spirit was the insensible moving a Stone from one place to another, as he us'd often when alive, also she would hear the very noise of cutting of Stones under her Bed, and sometimes would perceive the Bed while she was lying in it, hoi­sted up in a strange manner. About a week after his Buryal, the Maid who lay in a little Room by her Mistress, perceiv'd her Feet of a sudden to be press'd down, as if some heavy bur­then had been thrown down upon her, and the next Morn­ing her Feet were seen very sore, swell'd, and Black, and her self extreamly Affrighted.

Another time, the Nurse, that sat up with the Widow, went into the little Room to wash her Hands, the Maid being in Bed, who lay as in a Trance, her Eyes being open, and fixt upon one place, all in a Sweat, her Hair standing up, at which the Nurse in a great Fright left the Room, and shutting the Door, immediately heard something Jump, as it were, heavily from the Feet of the Maids Bed, and walk along the Room; then the Nurse took Heart, and went to the Door and harkned, and she perceiv'd something move up to the Door, and lean'd it self in a posture of hearkning too. By this time the Maid was come to her self, and call'd to th [...] Nurse, who after some time came, to whom she told wha [...] Misery she had suffer'd; and Ask'd, If she had not heard a sa [...] Groaning all the Night? As also, That her Master came so nea [...] her, that her Breath was almost stopt. Before Nurse could ge [...] back, it was got under the Widows Bed; who calling for he [...] Prayer-Book, and recommending her self to the Great God Protection, s [...]e boldly call'd out, in the Name of the Father Son, and Holy Ghost, What ar [...] Thou that thus do'st troutle us. And what wouldst Thou have? whereupon it flung open th [...] Curtains furiously, and giving a great Stamp, went down in to the Shop, and was there heard Pecking, as when Alive on the Stones. Five or Six Gentlemen being desirous to b [...] satisfied of the truth and meaning of this Apparition; som [...] being of Opinion, there was no such thing; coming thith [...] merrily together, one of them belonging to Gray's-Inn, of [Page 7] sudden Crys out, in a Fright, Here he is; at which the other [...]miling, as if he had Jeasted on purpose to scare them, he se­ [...]ously told them, and pointed to him, drawing the Curtains of the Bed, which they all heard, but saw not. He also [...]aid, He was in Black Cloaths, with a Musling-Nckcloth tied [...]ith a Black Ribbon, and was at the Beds-feet, and inclining [...]o a posture of Kneeling; but as soon as the Gentleman arose [...]rom his Seat, it vanished, and began its usual Frolick of Pecking Stones. Sometimes while the Nurse and the Widow [...]ave lain together, it has lifted up the Bed, so that they have [...]een in danger of falling out. One time in his own real shape [...] appear'd to a Stone-Cutter, his old Acquaintance, and with [...]bundance of Threats and Menaces, charg'd him to repay the [...]ixteen Shillings he had receiv'd of his Wife for his Grave­ [...]tone. Another time, about Twelve of the Clock at Night, [...]e appear'd to the Watch who were going by his House. A­nother time, the Widow and her Family sitting up till near One of the Clock, and frequently falling to Prayers, of a [...]udden they perceiv'd the Candle burn Blew, and presently [...]eard a great Knocking, the usual warning that he gives of [...]is Approach, and being worn out with tedious Watching, she [...]ell into a gentle Slumber, when the Young Woman that lay [...]ith her fell a Crying, Oh Mistress, your Pillow is on Fire; at which she wak'd, and felt one side of her Head very sore, as [...]f it had been scorch'd or bruised; and looking out on the [...]loor by her Mistresses side, She saw a Fire rising up like a Pil­ [...]ar, and more than the compass of a Peck; then the Widow Cry'd out, Avoid Satan, my Trust is in God; and strait the Fire went to the other side of the Bed and vanisht; and presently [...]fter, they could see the full proportion of the Deceased in [...]his Crape-Burial-Dress, and crossing the Room, disappear'd. Two Young Men that lie in the same House, Saw one Night [...]he full shape and proportion of a Man lying all along by their Bed s [...]de, and falling Zealously to their Prayers, he starts up, and with [...]n Angry Frown leaves them: Another time, the same Two Young Men going out late one Night, it being very Dark, [Page 8] they were scarce got out of the Gate, But a great Light aro [...] a sudden, and moving towards them, they could perceive somet [...] as it were a Dog coming up to them; and presently it took some of Monstrous Shape, which they could not distinguish, and prese [...] whirling by them it vanisht, and left them in great Terrour a [...] Darkness again. Three Young VVomen sitting up with t [...] VVidow, about Eleven of the Clock there was a great Blo [...] given in the little Room, where the Maid us'd to lie, and Noise as of some Body walking too and fro, and then th [...] all counted several distinct Knocks, to the Number of Twe [...] ty. One of the VVomen that sat nigh that Room Door, b [...] ing Curious to Peep, was thrown by an insensible force out [...] her Chair; and it seem'd to her, as if it had been some stron [...] Blast of VVind. At Seven of the Clock, by the same invis [...] ble force, the same Young VVoman was terribly shaken i [...] her Chair. Last Sunday Night Two other VVatchmen com­ing along by the House, called at the Hole in the Wall to Drink, and seeing a Man stand hard by, went up to him and Asking who he was, he st [...]ait disappear'd. These an [...] many other prodigious Disturbances of the like nature do almost happen every Day and Night in the House of the sai [...] Cook, lately Deceased, to the wonderful Astonishment of a [...] that hear it, and Terrour of those poor VVretches that hav [...] seen and felt many of them And because the Truth of every Circumstance here related may be justly Vindicated, any Person that desires farther satisfaction, may receive it fully from the Mouths of Hundreds in Baldwin's-Gardens, or from the VVidow of the said Cook, who with her whole Family have sadly Experimented the Reality of this Relation.