Born on April Fool's Day 1702, Yr Hen Broffwyd (the Old Prophet) Edmund Jones began preaching as assisstant minister at Penmaen in 1722. When that pastorate eventually went to Paul David in 1740, Jones moved to Pontypool and took a farm at the Tranch. Zealously - and Calvinistically - evangelical, Jones soon attracted a larger following and is credited with helping spread Methodism and revival fever throughout South Wales. In terms of my particular interest in UFOlore, Jones is an important character in that he actively believed in the supernatural and went out of his way to record tales he perceived to be trustworthy and verifiable.
Because, for the most part, older folklore and antiquarian collections are simply focused on recording the stories for posterity, relegating actual belief in them as the preserve of the peasantry. Jones, on the other hand, wanted reassurances as to the character of the witnesses and proveable elements to the tale, such as date and location. One day I hope to get to NLW to see his surviving diaries, infamously rescued from an ignominious end as wrapping paper at a Pontypool store, but for now here are some interesting tales from his 1780 work: A Relation of Apparitions of Spirits in the Principality of Wales.
THE PARISH OF ABERYSTRUTH
Long time after the death or removal of Walter John Harry [a Quaker who lived at Ty yn y Fid in the early 17th century, and one night saw the ghost of Morgan Lewis, the house's previous occupant], Thomas Miles Harry came to live at that house: who once coming home by night from Abergavenny, his horse took fright on seeing something, (invisible to Mr. Harry) and ran with him swiftly towards the house. Mr. H. being much terrified, hastened to unsaddle his horse, and on looking towards the other end of the yard, he perceived the appearance of a woman, so prodigiously tall as to be about half as high as the tall beech trees at the the other side of the yard; and glad he was of a house to rest himself in.
Another time- The same person coming home by night from a journey, when near Ty yn y Llwyn, saw the resemblance of fire, the west side of the river, on his right hand; and looking towards the Mountain near the rock Tarren y Trwyn, on his left hand, all of a sudden, saw the fire near him on one side, and the appearance of a mastiff dog on the other side, at which he was exceedingly terrified. The appearance of a mastiff dog was a most dreadful sight. He called at Ty yn y Lyn, requesting the favour of a person to accompany him home? The man of the house being acquainted with him, sent two of his servants with him home.
My thoughts of Mr T. H. M. are, that he was a man of an affable disposition, innocent and harmless, and a respecter of what is good in his later days. His children also; his son and two daughters were godly and religious. He was the grand-father of that eminent and famous preacher of the Gospel Mr. Thomas Lewis, of Lanharan, in Glamorganshire.
His son Lewis Thomas, the father of Mr. Thos. Lewis, on his returning home from a journey, and, on passing through a field beyond Pont Evan Lliwarch Bridge, on the Bedwellty side of the river Ebwy Fawr, saw the dreadful resemblance of a man walking on his hands and feet and crossing the path just before him at which, his hair moved upon his head, his heart panted and beat violently, his flesh trembled, he felt not his clothes about him; felt himself heavy and weak although a strong lively man. He remembered it all his days, and was very ready to declare it, having been much affected with it.
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W. E. of Hafodafel, going a journey upon the Beacon Mountain, very early in the morning, passed by the perfect likeness of a Coal Race, where really there was none: there he saw many people very busy; - some cutting the coal - some carrying it to fill the sacks - some rising the loads upon the horses' backs... This was an Agency of the Fairies upon his visive faculty, and it was a wonderful extra natural thing, and made a considerable impression upon his mind. He was of undoubted veracity, a great man in the world, and above telling an untruth. The power of Spirits, both good and bad, is very great, not having the weight of bodies to incmber and hinder their agility.
THE PARISH OF BEDWELLTY
A very remarkable and odd sight was seen in July 1760, acknowledged and confessed by several credible eye-witnesses of the same, i.e. by Lewis Thomas Jenkin's two daughters, virtuous and good young women (their father a good man, and substantial freeholder), his man-servant, his maid-servant, Elizabeth David, a neighbour and tenant of the said Lewis Thomas, and Edmund Roger, a neighbour, who were all making hay in a field called Y Weirglod Fawr Dafalog.
The first sight they saw was the resemblance of an innumerable flock of sheep over a hill called Cefen Rhychdir, opposite the place where the spectators stood, about a quarter of a mile distant from them. Soon after they saw them go up to a place called Cefen Rhychdir ucha, about half a mile distant from them; and then they went out of their sight, as if they vanished in the air. About half an hour before sunset they saw them all again; but all did not see them in the same manner; they saw them in different forms. Two of these persons saw them like sheep ; some saw them like greyhounds; some like swine, and some like naked infants: they appeared in the shade of the mountain between them and the sun. The first sight was as if they rose up out of the earth.
This was a notable appearance of the fairies, seen by credible witnesses. The sons of infidelity are very unreasonable not to believe the testimonies of so many witnesses of the being of spirits.
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JOHN JACOB, a Tailor, in this Parish, whom I knew, and was a man of sense and judgment, far from being fanciful and superstitious; as he was travelling one night, in the neighbourhood, lost his way. The Fairies, among whom he was now fallen, causing the ways to look strangely different from what they really were, found himself, all of a sudden, in a place where there was houses, shops, etc, as in a Town; which, all of a sudden, vanished. Then he saw where he was and came to a neighbour's house, he entered in and sat himself down very mute; and being asked the reason of it, he declared what he had seen : he then began to look worse, and did not live long afterwards. We have little apprehension in our embodied state of the power of disembodied Spirits, until the all-shewing light of eternity opens upon us; which amaze us with the new and great knowledge of things past and present.
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E.T. travelling by night over Bedwellty Mountain, towards the Valley of Ebwy Fawr, where his house and estate was, within the Parish of Aberystruth, saw the Fairies on each side of him: some dancing. He also heard the sound of a bugle horn, like persons hunting; he then began to be afraid: but recollecting his having heard - that if any person should happen to see any Fairies, if they draw out their knife they will vanish directly: he did so, and he saw them no more. This the old gentleman seriously related to me.
He was a sober man, and of such strict veracity, that I heard him confess a truth against himself, when he was like to suffer loss for an imprudent step; and though he was persuaded by some not to do it, yet he would persist in telling the truth, though it was to his own hurt. Such was the honesty of his nature; I mention it to obtain credit to the above relation - to weaken the saduceistical infidelity; for infidelity, some times, and this among the rest, is very obstinate to both reason and experience.
THE PARISH OF MYNYDDUSLWYN
Some years since, John the son of Watkin Elias Jones, a substantial man of this Parish, after his father's death, plowing in a field, when the Oxen rested, sent the lad which drove the Oxen to fetch something which he wanted, and before the lad came back, he saw a Cloud coming across the field towards him, which came to him, and shadowed the Sun from him; and out of the Cloud came a voice to him, which asked him, which of these three diseases he would chuse to die of, — The Fever, the Dropsy, or the Consumption, for one of them he must chuse in order to his end. He said he would rather die of the Consumption.
He let the lad go home with the Oxen, and finding himself inclined to sleep he laid down and slept ; when he awoke he was indisposed, and fell by degrees into the Consumption whereof he died: yet lived more than a year after he had seen the Apparition in the Cloud, and heard the supernatural voice out of it.
(Some say, that he saw the similitude of a venerable old man in the Cloud speaking to him, and I believe it was so, and that it was the disembodied Spirit of some good man, likely one of his Ancestors, and not an Angel; for Angels do not appear like old men, nor is it proper they should, because there is no decay in them as in men subject to mortality. It is not unreasonable to think, that some times at least, the Spirits of the Saints departed are ministering servants to the heirs of Salvation as well as the Angels, and under the name of Angels, seeing they have a nearer relation, and therefore an equal, if not superior propriety to do this. It is thought to be the Spirit of a departed Saint who spoke to John, Rev. xix. 10. " And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not : I am thy fellow- servant, and of thy brethren, that have the testi- mony of Jesus. Worship God ; for the testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of prophecy." It would be odd that the Angels should serve in the Church militant upon earth who were never members of it, and that none of those who have been members, and have more experience of it should never serve in it.)
He became very serious after this, tho' some times a little fretful. He would often read and shed tears in reading, and before his death gave good advise to the family to be weaned from the world, to think of the shortness of time, the certainty of death ; and to prepare for eternity, etc. He did not tell of the Apparition till within six weeks of his death. His great Grandfather was an excellent minister, the Rev, Mr. Watkin Jones, at Penmain; several of whose family was very religious. The promise is, but too little minded and pleaded, that God sheweth mercy to them that love him, to the third and fourth generation. — What a sinful neglect and hurtful folly it is to neglect this great and precious promise; which, if pleaded in faith and earnestness, would be accomplished by him who hath said, "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you". Mat. vii. 7.
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The story of the Trwyn Pwcca - a poltergeist like entity that haunted the Trwyn Farmhouse in Abercarn. I've written a whole post on this one.
THE PARISH OF LLANHYDDEL
REES JOHN ROSSER, born at Hen-dy in this Parish, a very religious young man, on going very early in the morning to feed the Oxen, at a Barn called Ysgybor y lann, and having fed the Oxen, he lay himself upon the hay to rest; while he lay there he heard like the sound of music coming near the Barn; presently a large company came in the Barn with striped cloaths — some appeared more gay than others — and there danced at their music. He lay there as quiet as he could, thinking they would not see him, but in vain; for one of them, a woman, appearing better than the rest, brought him a striped cushion with four tassels, one at each corner of it, to put under his head.
After some time the Cock crew at the house of Blaen y Coome hard by, upon which they appeared as if they were either surprised, or displeased; the cushion was then hastily taken from under his head, and they went away. The Spirits of darkness do not like the crowing of the Cock, because it gives notice of the approach of day; for they love dark- ness rather than light. They surely belong to the kingdom of darkness, who hate and avoid the light of the sun; and if they are averse to the light of the natural sun, how much more so to the light of Christ, the Sun of the Spiritual world? And it hath been several times observed that these Fairies cannot endure to hear the name of God. So far they are alienated from him, and become his enemies.
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JENKIN JOHN DAVID was coming home one night from the Parish of Aberytruth, and in the way passed by the great Thorn Tree, upon the mountain between Llanhyddel and Trevethen Parish, not far from Blaennant dee fields, thinking to go over the mountain to Blaen y Cnew, about half a mile long. He travelled much; at last the bridle unaccountably fell off the horse's head, he alighted to put it on, and looking where he was, saw that he was at the great Thorn, having rode his way backward, — He mounted his horse again, thinking he should not miss his way; but after travelling much, the bridle again fell from the horse's head, and the horse would go no further, as if it apprehended its rider had lost his way: being tired, he alighted, and found he was again at the great Thorn.
He then thought it was no use for him to attempt to cross the Mountain, so he went by the hedge side to Ysgybor y Gruglwyn Barn, under the eves of which he and his horse stayed the remainder part of the night, which was a long and tiresome night in the month of November. The before mentioned Thorn is there still, and must now be above a hundred years old. This is an instance of the longevity of the Thorn Tree, — the only one that I ever knew. The longevity of the Thorn Tree, of every tree, is worth notice, both in Divinity and Philosophy ; for the Scripture takes notice of it, Isai. lxv. 22. but the stupid world is careless and insensible of the works of God's power, wisdom and goodness, as it is complained of, Isai. v. 12.
Jenkin John David was the great grandfather of the late Rev. Mr. Herbert Jenkins of Maidstone, a dissenting Minister of every excellence of mind and disposition : Possessed also of every kind of ministe- rial gifts. Knowledge in the Scripture, memory, voice and utterance, etc. I am glad of this occasion to make an honourable mention of him.
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THOMAS ANDREW, living at a place called the Farm, in this Parish, coming home by night, saw, by the side of a wall, the similitude of a dark man, creeping on all fours, scraping the ground, and looking aside one way and the other, also making a dreadful noise; at which he was terribly frightened; for it was, to every one that will seriously consider it, a dreadful appearance.
As Thomas Andrew was coming towards home one night, with some persons with him, he heard, as he thought, the sound of hunting: he was afraid it was some person hunting the sheep, so he hastened on to meet and hinder them: he heard them coming towards him, though he saw them not: when they came near him, their voices were but small, but increasing as they went from him: they went down the steep towards the River Ebwy, dividing between this Parish and Mynyddushyn, whereby he knew that they were what are called Cwn wybir, -(Sky Dogs) but in the inward part of Wales, Cwn-annen,-(Dogs of Hell). I have heard say that these Spiritual Hunting Dogs have been heard to pass by the eves of several houses before the death of some one in the family. Thomas Andrew was an honest religious man, who would not have told an untruth either for fear or for favour.
THE PARISH OF BEDWAS
MR HENRY LEWELIN, having been sent by me to Samuel Davies, of Ystrad Defodoc Parish, in Glamorganshire, to fetch a load of Books, viz.— Bibles, Testaments, Watt's Psalms, Hymns, and Songs for children, and coming home by night, towards Mynydduslwyn, having just passed by Clwyd yr Helygen Ale-house, and being in dry fair part of the lane, the Mare, which he rode, stood still, and would go no farther, but drew backward; and presently he could see a living thing round like a bowl, rolling from the right hand to the left, crossing the lane, moving sometimes slow, and sometimes very swift, swifter than a bird could fly, though it had neither wings nor feet; altering also its size: it appeared three times, lesser one time than another; it appeared least when near him, and seemed to roll towards the Mare's belly.
The Mare then would go forward, but he stopped her to see more carefully what it was. He stayed, as he thought, about three minutes, to look at it ; but fearing to see a worse sight, thought it time to speak to it, and said, " What seekest thou, thou foul thing? In the Name of the Lord Jesus go away"; —and by speaking this it vanished, as if it sunk in the ground near the Mare's feet. It appeared to be of a redish colour with a mixture of an ash colour.
I was glad to have this account from a strictly honest and a judicious man, perfectly free from enthusiasm and superstition; especially as he had been in time past disputing with me against Apparitions. He did not deny the being of Spirits, but thought that men were deceived, and also told untruths about Apparitions. But going home from my house late at night, saw, going before him, the likeness of a large man; and having come to it, it was a dark thing without regular members, and therefore forbore saying good night to him, whom before he thought to be a man; he also, at that instance, remembered what he heard his father say,— that as he was travelling by night on a lonesome Mountain, he saw an ill-looking man, as he thought, coming to meet him; he met him, and said, Nos dawch,— (Good night to you) to which he received no answer, but was seized with terror; upon which he said to himself, I was mistaken, no good night belongs to thee.
Another time, as he was lying in bed in a chamber by himself, a strong pluck was given to the hair of his head, so that his head was sore for three or four days after. This he owned could be done by nothing but a Spirit. I was glad that a person of his great excellences of mind and office was cured of this branch of Infidelity. It is very improper that a Preacher of the Gospel, and a Soldier against the kingdom of Darkness, should deny the Agency and appearance of the Spirits of Darkness being upon the earth. Mr. Lewelin was a Preacher of the Gospel in Suffolk, in the dissenting way.
*Near Clwyd yr Helygen, in times past, and near the Place where the Apparition was seen the Lond's day was greatly profaned: it may be also the adversary was angry at the good Books and the Bringer of them: for it knew what burden the Mare carried.
THE PARISH OF MACHEN
As J W James was going towards Bedwas, with a young woman, (whom he pretended to court) towards Risca, and before they came opposite Machen Hill, they saw, on the east side of it, facing the Parish of Risca, the resemblance of a Boy, going before them: and while they were looking at it, they saw it put its head between its legs, and transforming itself into a ball of Fire, rolling towards the top of the Hill; it being as easy for a Spirit to go up as to come down.
Presently after they heard the jingling sound of Iron, with which they saw many Horses drawing a load; they went beyond Pont y Meister Bridge, and then turned to a cross lane leading towards a house where there was a man laying dead: when they went a little farther, they saw the earth cleaving and opening, and out of it came a Pillar of Fire, which waving in the air, singed the young woman's handkerchief of a yellow colour, which could never be washed out, but continued as long as any of the handkerchief remained. The man afterwards seriously confessed that it was his intention to debauch the young woman in his journey, but this dreadful sight prevented his evil intention.
THE PARISH OF RISCA
ONE W.J. a religious man, being sent to fetch me to baptize his master's child, and upon the way I heard him speak like a truly religious man, and enquiring how he became under religious impressions, he gave me the following extraordinary and wonderful account:-
That he was once a Sabbath-breaker, at Risca Village, where he frequently used to play and visit the ale-houses on the Sabbath-day, and there stay till late at night; on returning homeward he heard something walking behind him, and turning to see what it was, he could see the likeness of a man walking by his side; he could not see his face, and was afraid to look much at it, fearing it was an evil Spirit, as it really was; therefore he did not wish it good night.
This dreadful dangerous Apparition generally walked by the left side of him. It afterwards appeared like a great Mastiff Dog, which terrified him so much that he knew not where he was: after it gone about half-a-mile, it transformed itself into a great Fire, as large as a small field, and resembled noise which the fire makes in burning gorse. When he reached home, he went to bed; but he had dismal night of it, fearing the evil Spirit was near him. It was suggested to him that the devil would certainly come and carry him away if he did not amend his life.
For some time he was very serious, and seemed fully determined to reform himself from his usual habits: yet afterwards he seemed to continue vain and re. gardless; but not to break the Sabbath.- He was much reformed by the preaching of the Gospel. He related this to some young people, his companions in vanity, who wanted to know the reason of his change. They gave him the hearing, but mended little or nothing; so true is the saying from heaven, Luke xvi. 30, 31. "If they hear not the word, they will not hear, though one come from the dead to warn them". Here is an instance of it in these young people, and in the young man himself, -the relator of the extraordinary vision.
THE PARISH OF BASSALLEG
There was a young woman called Anne William Frances, who, on going by night into a little grove of wood, near the house, heard pleasant music, and saw a company of Fairies dancing there: she took a pail of water there thinking it would gratify them. The next time she went there she had a shilling gave her, and so had for several nights after, until she had twenty one Shillings: her mother happening to find the money, questioned her where she had them, fearing she had stolen them;
The girl would by no means tell until her mother went very severe upon her, threatening to beat her if she did not inform her how she came by it; she was then obliged to relate to her the circumstance, and they gave her no more money afterwards. I have heard of other places where people have had money from the Fairies, sometimes silver sixpences, but most commonly copper coin. As they cannot make money, it certainly must be money lost, or concealed by persons.
THE TOWN OF NEWPORT
Mrs. Morgan, of Newport, told me there was some persons drinking in a public-house; two of them officers of excise: one of them, to shew his courage, said he would go to the Charnel and fetch a Skull from thence, and did so; they judged it might be a woman's skull, though the grave nearly destroys the difference between male and female before the bones are turned into dust, and the difference then quite destroved and know only to God.
After they had seen it he went with it back; but in coming from the church, a strong wind, like a whirlwind, blew about him which brought with it a great terror, so that he declared he would not do such a thing again on any account. His wife told Mrs. Morgan that his cane, which hung in the room, beat against the wall that same night dreadfully, and she was sure it was done by some Spirit, and no accidental thing.
Here was a witness of the being of Spirits. This most certainly must have been the being of that Spirit whose Skull was wantonly disturbed.
THE PARISH OF LLANTARNAM
Edward Frank, a young man, who lived in this parish, went from home one day, and on his returning towards home by night, heard something walking towards him; presently he perceived a large tall dismal object before him on the way. He was, with much difficulty, enabled to say, "In the name of God what is here? Turn out of my way, or I will strike thee". It then disappeared.
Soon after he was seized with the greatest terror, so that he knew not where he was; he then saw, between him and the hedge, two dun coloured things like posts, which put him to the utmost terror, so that he could scarcely walk on, but seeing a cow not far off he went towards her to lean upon her; she stood still, and suffered him to lean upon her.
On going farther he called at a house, where there lived a young woman whom he was acquainted with; he knocked at the door and asked admittance, but his voice being so weak she could not think who it could be; she thinking it might be some person in distress, opened the door; she then saw it was her well-known neighbour. He being so much terrified was obliged to remain there that night. This circumstance was related to me by Abraham Lewelin, a religious person, who lodged in the same house with this young man.
THE PARISH OF PAN-TEAG
'Spirit Margaret' was haunted by the ghost of her feckless would-be husband - I've written a whole post on this one.
THE PARISH OF TREFETHIN
Anne, the daughter of Mr. Herbert Jenkins, a young woman, well disposed to what is good, gave me the following relation:—
That as she was going one evening to milk the Cows by Rhiw-newith, and going through the wood under Rhiw-neweth to seek them, she saw something like a black man, standing by a holly-tree. She had a Bitch with her which saw it also, and ran towards him to bark at him, upon which it stretched out its black tongue, and the Bitch was frightened and ran back to the young woman turning about her feet for fear; upon which the young woman was so terrified that she could scarcely speak: she found the Cows and brought them back to their own field, from whence they had strayed.
And passing by the holly-tree back again, feared to look at it, lest she should see the same sight again; but being past it, saw it again, very big in the middle and narrow at both ends, going before, treading very heavily, so that the ground seemed to tremble under it. It went towards a spring in that field which is under Rhiw-newith, called Ffynnon yr Yspryd, (the Fountain of the Spirit); because of an Apparition formerly seen by it. About which it fetched a turn, and went over the stile from that field into the Rhiw-newith, the common way so called, and there he whistled so exceedingly strong, that the narrow Valley echoed it back, and then departed; she then felt herself well.
This young woman's grandfather Wm. Jenkins, for some time kept a school at Trefethin Church, and coming home late in the evening, used to see the Fairies under an oak within two or three fields from the Church, between that and Newynidd Bridge. And one time he went to see the ground about the oak, and there was a reddish circle upon the grass, such as have been often seen under the female oak, called Brenhin-bren, (King-Tree) wherein they danced. He was more apt to see them on Friday Evenings than any other day of the week.
Some say, in this country, that Friday is apt to differ often from the rest of the week with respect to the weather; that when the rest of the days of the week are fair, Friday is apt to be rainy, or cloudy; and when the weather is foul, Friday is apt to be more fair. If there is any thing in it, I believe it must be with large and frequent exceptions, which yet may possibly consist with some measure of reality in the matter; but of this I am no judge, having neglected to make observation of the matter. However, the prince of the power of darkness is called the prince of the power of the air, and doubtless not for nothing so called, Eph. ii. 2.
The Fairies dance in circles (which some writer, on the side of Infidelity unreasonably explain another way) in dry places; and the scripture saith that the walk of evil Spirits is in dry places ; Math. xii. 44. chiefly under the Oak-tree, the female Oak especially, likely because of its more spreading branches, and of a greater shade under it. Perhaps also, and very probably, because of the superstitious, Idolatrous use made of it beyond other trees in the dark times of Paganism, which is an apostacy from God and true religion, in which the Spirits of darkness delight.
Formerly, in the days of ignorance, when men had but little knowledge and faith in God, it was dangerous to cut down a Female Oak in a fair dry place. Some were said to lose their lives for it, by a strange aching pain which admitted of no remedy, as one of my ancestors did; but now that men have more knowledge and faith, this effect follows not.
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P. W. who lived at the Ship in Pont y Pool, and born also in Trefethin Parish: — An honest virtuous woman, when a young girl going to school, one time seeing the Fairies dancing in a pleasant dry place under a crab tree, and seeing them like children much of her own size, and hearing a small pleasant music among them, went to them, and was induced to dance with them; and she brought them unto an empty barn to dance.
This she did at times both going and coming from school for three or four years. Though she danced so often with them, yet she could never hear the sound of their feet; therefore she took off her shoes that she might not make a noise with her feet, which thought was displeasing unto them. Some in the house observing her without shoes, said, this girl walks without shoes to school: but she did not tell them of her adventure with the Fairies. They all blue and green aprons on: they were of a small stature, and appeared rather old.
All the Spirits of hell cannot make as good appearance, and divert themselves in the hellish state, as the Fairies do, who are nothing else, after all the talking about them, but the disembodied Spirits of men, who lived and died without the enjoyment of the means of grace and salvation, as Pagans and others, and their condemnation therefore far less than those who have enjoyed the means of salvation, Math. xi. 20, to 24.
The condemnation of men will be according to the light and means of grace they have enjoyed and abused; according to the words of the Apostle, Rom. ii. 12, to 16. When she gave over going with them to dance, they shewed their displeasure; and because they could not prevail, did hurt her, by dislocating one of her walking members, which was afterwards put in place. Here is one instance of their malignity, and shews to whom they belong.
IN CARNARVONSHIRE
About the year 1758, at the house of a certain farmer, in the Parish of Llanllechyd, there was a great disturbance from an evil Spirit, casting stones into and about the house, beating and wounding the people. The stones were of different sizes up to 27 pound weight. Some Clergymen, from Bangor, came there to to read prayers, and they did their best with a good design, but they were also beaten and obliged to go away.
Reading prayers was too weak a means to drive an enraged evil Spirit away. There was a necessity of some persons of a strong faith, who had the spirit and gift of prayer in some great measure. Most of the stones were river stones, taken out of the river which runs hard by. The disturbance was so great that the family was obliged to remove from thence. The person who related the story to the Rev. Mr. R. F. told him, he was struck with a stone of about five pound weight, as he thought.
IN DENBIGHSHIRE
I am now going to relate one of the most extraordinary Apparitions that ever was communicated to me, either by word of mouth, or by letter; which I received from the hand of a pious young gentleman of Denbighshire then at school, who was an eye witness of it, as follows: —
MARCH, 24th, 1772.
Rev. SIR,
Concerning the Apparition I saw, I shall relate it as well as I can in all its particulars. As far as I can remember it was in the year 1757, in a summer's day, about noon, I, with three others, one of which was a sister of mine, and the other two were sisters. We were playing in a field called Kae-kaled in the Parish of Bodvary, in the County of Denbigh near the stile which is next Lanelwyd house, where we perceived a company of dancers, in the middle of the field, about seventy yards from us. We could not tell their numbers, because of the swiftness of their motions, which seemed to be after the manner of Morris-dancers, (something uncommonly wild in their motions) but after looking some time we came to guess that their number might be about fifteen or sixteen.
They were clothed in red like soldiers, with red handkerchiefs spotted with yellow about their heads. They seemed in be a little bigger than we, but of a dwarfish appearance. Upon this we reasoned together what they might be, whence they came, and what they were about. Presently we saw one of them coming away from the company in a running pace; upon seeing this we began to be afraid and ran to the stile.
Barbara Jones went over the stile first, next her sister, next to that my sister, and last of all myself: while I was creeping up the stile, my sister staying to help me, I looked back and saw him just by me; upon which I cried out, my sister also cried out, and took hold of me under her arm to draw me over; and when my feet had just come over, I still crying and looking back, we saw him reaching after me, leaning on the stile; but did not come over.
Away we ran towards the house, called the people out, and went trembling towards the place; which might be about one hundred and fifty yards of the house: but though we came so soon to see, yet we could see nothing of them. He who came near us had a grim countenance, a wild, and somewhat fierce look. He came towards us in a slow running pace, but with long steps for a little one. His complexion was copper-coloured, which might be significative of his disposition and condition; for they were not good, but therefore bad Spirits.
The red — of their cruelty; The black — of their sin and misery; and he looked rather old than young. The dress, the form, the colour, and the size Of these, dear Sir, did me surprise; The open view of them we had four, Their sudden flight and seeing them no more, Do still confirm the wonder more and more.
Thus far Mr. E. W 's Letter.
THE oddish appearance of the Spectre brings to my mind an Apparition seen in this Parish of Trefethin, which for brevity sake I passed over there, and comes properly to be mentioned here as follows: — [Please see above section on Trevethin.]
IN RADNORSHIRE
In the house of Edward Roberts, in the Parish of Llangynllo, came to pass a stranger thing. — As the servant-man was threshing, the threshel was taken out of his hand and thrown upon the hay-loft; he minded it not much: but being taken out of his hand three of four times gave him a concern, and he went to the house and told it. Edward Roberts being from home, his wife and the maid made light of it, and merrily said they would come with him to keep him from the Spirit, and went there; the one to knit, and the other to wind yarn.
They were not long there before what they brought there were taken out of their hands, and tumbled about in their sight; on seeing this, they shut the barn door and came away more sober than they went there. They had not been long home before they perceived the dishes on the shelf move backwards, and some were thrown down: most of the earthen vessels were broke, especially in the night; for in the morning they could scarce tread without stepping upon wrecks of something which lay on the ground.
This circumstance being made known, induced the neighbours to visit them. Some came from far to satisfy their curiosity; some from Knighton; and one came from thence to read, confident he would silence the evil Spirit; but had the book taken out of his hand and thrown up stairs. There were stones cast among them, and were often struck by them, but they were not much hurt: there was also iron thrown from the chimney at them, and they knew not from whence it came.
The stir continued there about a quarter of a year. At last the house took fire, which they attempted to quench; but it was in vain. They saved most of the furniture, but the house was burnt to the ground; so that nothing but the walls, and the two chimneys, stood as a public spectacle to those who passed to and from Knighton Market.
The apparent cause of the disturbance was this, — Griffith Meridith and his wife, the father and mother of Edward Roberts's wife were dead, and their son, who was heir to the house, enlisted himself a soldier, and left the country. Roberts and his wife, who were Tenants in the house that was burnt, removed into their father's house; he being dead, and the house much decayed, they repaired it, and claimed it, as thinking it was their own, and that her brother would never return.
But in that year the brother unexpectedly came home, thinking to see his father; he wondered to see the house altered, and making enquiry, went to his sister and claimed the house; which she refused, as having been at charge with it. At last he desired only a share of it, which she also refused; he then desired but two guineas for it, which she still refusing; he went away for Ireland, threatening his sister that she should repent for this ill dealing; and she had cause to repent.
Now here was very plainly the work of some Spirit, enough to convince, or at least confound an Atheist of the being of Spirit ; but whether it was her brother's own Spirit after his death, or an evil Spirit which he employed to work this revenge upon an unnatural sister, cannot be determined, but the last is more likely.
IN BRECKNOCKSHIRE
Walter Watkins, of the Neuath, in the Parish of Landdetty, a man of virtue, sense, and learning, gave me the following notable relation of an Apparition, as follows:—
That on going one night towards Tafe Fechan Chapel, not far from his house, he saw a light near the said Chapel; it increased till it was as big as a Church Tower, and decreased again until it became as small as a star, and then it would increase to the former largeness, doing so several times; at which he wondered very much, but felt no fear. He went to the house to fetch his father and mother to see it, and they all saw it in the same manner, to their great astonishment.
Sometime after as a neighbour was ploughing a field, near the Chapel, the plough stopped against a large flat stone, which the ploughers rose up, and behold there was a stone chest, and in it was the jaw-bone of a man, and an empty earthen jug; it was supposed to have been some person murdered, but by whom it could not be known; but shall be known in eternity. However, upon this discovery, it was remembered by some, that a man named Philip Watkins, living at the said Neuath, was suddenly lost and never heard of after. His wife married again, thinking he certainly must be dead, or pretending to think so.
Some time after this woman asking a wandering sort of man, who used to be between the two houses, what news from Neuath? he jocosely said, Philip Watkins was come home, and was well. This affected her so much that she fell sick and died. It was in vain for the man to say afterwards that it was not true, and that he only jested.
If she was sorry for having married again, it shewed a tender conscience; otherwise it looked like extreme guilt: there is a mystery in it which must be left undecided this side of eternity, which all things which have been done on earth shall be known; according to our Saviour's saying, Luke xii. 2. "For there is nothing covered that shall not be revealed, neither hid that shall not be known ; in the day when the secrets of men shall be revealed".
After this the light was no more seen near the Chapel, though often seen before. The Spirits of men appear like light, because they are knowing beings, properly resembled by light.
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In the Parish of Ystrad-gynlas, in the same County, came to pass the following remarkable occurrence, which I had from under the hand of the Rev. Mr. T. L. who then lived in that neighbourhood:
A young man, son to an inn-keeper, being often troubled by supernatural odd sights; at last a Spirit appeared to him in the shape of a well dressed woman, who stood before him in a narrow lane; he strove to pass her by, and did in much fear, as doubting what she might be. Some time after, having occasion to pass that way by night, he saw her in the same shape, and in the same dress; he was afraid to pass by her; but he was resolved to speak to her, and asked her what she wanted with him? to which she bid him not to be afraid, that she would not hurt him.
She told him he must go to Philadelphia, in Pensylvania, and take a box from a house there, which she described, (in which there was two hundred pounds) and charged him to meet her on the friday night following. He having declared this to some neighbours, the news reached the ears of the Curate of the Parish, who sent for this man to come to his house: they appointed a prayer-meeting to be that friday night, to which they desired the young man to come: the meeting continued till midnight, in which he was observed to be very uneasy to go out.
When the meeting ended he went out with the Parson's servants to the horses, and in coming from the stable, he was taken from among them; at which they were greatly amazed, not knowing what to think of it. But the Apparition carried him away to a river and threw him into it, chiding him for telling the people of the appointed meeting, and not coming to meet her according to promise; but bid him not to be afraid, that she would not hurt him, because she had not charged him not to speak of her charge to meet her on friday night; but that he should not have gone to the Parson's house.
Now, said she, we begin the journey: he was then lifted up and carried away he knew not how. When he came to the place, he was taken into a house, and then conducted to a fine room: the Spirit then bid him lift up a board, which he did; he then saw the box, and took it, then the Spirit said he must go three miles and cast it into the black sea: they went, as he thought, to a lake of clear water, where he was commanded to throw the box into it; which when he did there was such a noise as if all about was going to pieces: from thence he was taken up and carries to the place where he was first taken up.
He the asked her whether he was free now ? She said he was, and told him a secret, which she strictly charged him to tell no person. He was three days and three nights in this mysterious journey; that was, from friday night to monday night : when he came home he could scarcely speak. As to her appearance, she was largely made, looked pale, her looks severe, and her voice hollow, different from a human voice. A woman in the neighbourhood remembered lately that one Elizabeth Gething went from this neighbourhood into Pensylvania: most likely it was her Spirit, which perhaps she told the young man.
IN PEMBROKESHIRE
John Jenkin, a school-master, and also a conjurer; and being known to be such, one of his scholars having a mind to it, told his master he had a curiosity to see the devil; his master told him he might if he had courage for it; but told him he did not chuse to call an evil Spirit till he had some employment for him. Some time after a man came to him who had lost some money, and desiring to know who had stolen it. Now, said the master to the scholar, I have some business for him.
That night the conjurer and his scholar went into a wood and drew a circle, then came home. Some night after they went into the circle, and the conjurer called an evil Spirit by its name: presently they perceived a light, and a remarkable attitude in the sky: after that a ball of light shot like lightening towards the circle, and turned round about it; the conjurer asked it who had stolen such a man's money? But by the answer which he received he understood that that Spirit knew not who had done it.
The master told the scholar that that Spirit knew not who had done it, and that he must call another: having sent that Spirit away he called another; and presently they saw the resemblance of a Bull flying through the air towards them, and so swiftly and fiercely as if it would go through them, and it turned about the circle; he asked it also who had stolen the money? He received much the same kind of answer as from the former. The conjurer told his scholar this also would not do, I must call another.
After the young scholar was a little revived, (being almost dead with fear) his master called another of them by name; and behold there came out of the wood a Spirit dressed in white, and coming towards the circle. When the conjurer saw it, he told his scholar we shall now hear something from this. He then asked it the same question; the Spirit answered he knew the person who had taken the said money; told him who he was, and other circumstances concerning that matter, which the conjurer asked it. The young man declared that neither those Spirits could speak to answer the conjurer until they had worked themselves into a human shape.
The man has never been well since. — The effect of the great fright and of his presumption to see one of the fallen angels of hell under the curse and wrath of God still cleaving to him: so dangerous it is to have to do (especially in an extraordinary way) with those mortal enemies of man- kind, divested of all remains of their created virtue an goodness. The servants of satan little consider this, else they would not chuse the life which goes after satan to endless misery, but the life that leads to Angels and the Spirits of just men made perfect, and to the God of all happiness.
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Mr. D. W. of Pembrokeshire, a religious man, and far from fear and superstition, gave me the following account:- that as he was travelling by himself through a field, called the Cot-moor, where two stones are set up, called the Devil's Nags, at some distance from each other, where evil Spirits are said to haunt and trouble passengers, he was thrown over the hedge, and was never well afterwards. Mr. W. went with a strong fighting Mastiff Dog with him; but suddenly he saw another Mastiff Dog coming towards him. He thought to set his Dog at it; but his Dog seemed to be much frightened, and would not go near it. Mr. W. then stooped down to take up a stone, thinking to throw at it; but suddenly there came a Fire round it so that he could perceive it had a white tail and a white snip down his nose, and saw his teeth grinning at him; he then knew it was one of the Infernal Dogs of Hell.- One of those kind of dogs against whom David prayeth in Psal. xxii. 20. "Deliver my soul from the power of of the Dog".
AS Mr. D. W. was walking out one evening, he saw the likeness of a man, at some distance from him; it had no hat on, neither could he perceive that it had any arms: it went round him three of four times; but kept the same distance from him. Mr. W. spoke to it several times, asking it what it wanted, etc. but he received no answer. He thought it was some person that had lost the way, so he went out of the path thinking to give way to it; but suddenly he was seized with such a terror, that he scarcely knew where he was.
He proceeded on his journey till he came to a hill, some distance from the place of the Apparition; and, on ascending up the hill, he looked back towards the place where the Apparition was, — there he saw a Ball of Fire. When he came to the house the people saw him look bad and discomposed; they asked him if he had been frightened? He was ready to faint, (though a strong man) therefore could give them no answer. They gave him some cordial which kept him from fainting, and recovered him from his trembling. As the appearance of Angels is a sign of good, so I have observed the extraordinary Apparitions of evil Spirits, have often been signs of trouble to those that saw them; as it came to pass upon this man, with a witness.
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As an acquaintance of mine was going from Lanhither towards Abergweidd, in the Parish of Mynythusloin, one night, she saw a ball of fire as large as a pompion, skipping before her, out of which came forth flames about half-a-yard long. After some time it receded, and went by her side : sometimes it followed her, which terrified her much. Some part of the way it disappeared, then it appeared again ; continuing so several times, till it came into the Village, when it decreased to the size of a tennis ball, and then entered into a shop in the Village: this terrified the young woman so much, that when she came into the house she fainted.
-- The following account I had from under the hand of Mr. Morris Griflith, a man truly religious, and a lively preacher of the gospel, among the Baptists; which came to pass in Pembrokeshire, as follows:-
When I kept School at Pont-Faen Parish, in Pembrokeshire, as I was coming from a place called Tre-Davith, and was come to the top of the hill, I saw a great light down in the Valley, which I wondered at for I could not imagine what it meant. But it came to my mind that it was a light before a burying, though never could believe before that there was such a thing. The light which I saw then was a very red light, and it stood still for about a quarter of an hour in the way which went towards Lanferch-llawddog church.
I made haste to the other side of the hill, that I might see it farther; and from thence saw it go along to the church yard, where it stood still for a little time, and entered into the church: I stood still waiting to see it come out, and it was not long before it came out, and went to a certain part of the churchyard, where it stood a little time, and then vanished out of my sight.
A few days afterwards, being in school with the children about noon, I heard a great noise over head, as if the top of the house was coming down; I went out to see the garret, and there was nothing amiss. A few days afterwards, Mr. Higgon, of Pont-Faen's son died. When the carpenter came to fetch the boards to make the coffin, which were in the garret, he made exactly such a stir in hand- ling the boards in the garret, as was made before by some Spirit, who fore-knew the death that was soon to come to pass.
In carrying the body to the grave, the burying stood where the light stood for about a quarter of an hour, because there was some water cross the way, and the people could not go over it without wetting their feet, therefore they were obliged to wait till those that had boots helped them over. The child was buried in that very spot of ground in the church-yard, where I saw the lightstop after it came out of the church.
This is what I can boldly testify, having seen and heard what relate :---a thing, which before, I could not believe, Morris Griffith.
IN CARMARTHENSHIRE
A Clergyman's son, in this County, but now a clergyman himself in England, who, in his younger days, was somewhat vicious; having been at a debauch one night, and coming home late when the doors were locked, and the people in bed, feared to disturb them; fearing also their chiding an expostulations about his staying so late, went to the servant who slept in an out room, as is often the manner in this Country; he could not awake the servant, but while he stood over him, he saw a small light come out of the servant's nostrils, which soon became a Corpse Candle.
He followed it out and it came to a foot bridge, which lay over a rivulet of water. It came into the gentleman's head to raise up the end of the foot bridge from off the bank whereon it lay, to see what it would do. When it came, it seemed to offer to go over, but did not go, as if loath to go because the bridge was displaced: when he saw that, he put the bridge in its place, and stayed to see what the Candle would do.
It came on the bridge when it was replaced; but when it came near him, it struck, as it were with an handkerchief; but the effect was strong, for he became dead upon the place, not knowing of himself a long time before he revived: such is the power of the Spirits of the other world, and it is ill jesting with them. A sadducee and a proud ridiculer of Apparitions in this gentleman's place now, would have a pure seasoning for his pastime.
'Tis true these men have not seen the Corpse Candles of Wales, but they should believe the numerous and ever continuing witnesses of it, and not foolishly discredit abundant matters of fact, attested by many honest wise men. We have heard of others, who, from an excess of natural courage, or being in liquor, have endeavoured to stop the Corpse Candles, and have been struck down upon the place: but now none offer it, being deterred by a few former examples related, remembered, and justly believed.
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Joshua Coslet, a man of sense and knowledge, told me of several Corpse Candles he had seen, but of one in particular which he saw in a lane, called Heol bwlch y gwynt,---(Wind gap lane)---in Landeilo Fawr Parish; where he suddenly met a Corpse Candle, of a small light when near him, but increasing as it went farther from him. He could easily perceive that there was some dark shadow passing along with the Candle; but he was afraid to look earnestly upon it. Not long after a burying passed that way.
He told me that it is the common opinion, doubtless from some experience of it, that if a man should wantonly strike it, he should be struck down by it; but if one touches it unawares, he shall pass on unhurt. He also said that some dark shadow of a man carried the Candle, holding it between his three fore fingers over against his face. This is what some have seen, who had the courage to look earnestly. Others have seen the likeness of a Candle carried in a skull. There is nothing unreasonable or unlikely in either of these representations.
I am now going to give you an account of the Kyhirraeth, a doleful fore-boding noise before death, and enquire into the cause of this, and of the appearance of the Corpse-Candles. The judicious Joshua Coslet, who lived on that side of the river Towy which runs through the middle of Carmarthenshire, where the Kyhirraeth is often heard, gave me the following remarkable account of it : --
That it is a doleful disagreeable sound heard before the deaths of many, and most apt to be heard before foul weather: the voice resembles the groaning of sick persons who are to die: heard at first at a distance, then comes nearer, and the last near at hand; so that it is a three-fold warning of death, ---the king of terrors. It begins strong and louder than a sick man can make, the second cry is lower, but not less doleful, but rather more so: the third yet lower and soft, like the groaning of a sick man, almost spent and dying; so that a person well remembering the voice, and coming to the sick man's bed who is to die, shall hear his groans exactly alike, which is an amazing evidence of the Spirits' fore-knowledge.
Sometimes when it cries very loud, it bears a resemblance of one crying who is troubled with a stitch. If it meets any hindrance in the way, it seems to groan louder. It is, or hath been very common in the three Commots of Ynis-Cenin. A Commot is a portion of ground less than a Canttref, or a Hundred; for three Commots make up the Hundred of Ynis-Cenin, which extends from the sea as far as Landilo-Fawr; containing twelve Parishes, viz,- Landilo-Fawr, Beltws, Lanedi, Lannon, Cydweli, Langenich, Pen-fre, Lanarthney, Langyndeirn, &c. which lie on the south-east side of the river Towy, where sometime past it cried and groaned before the death of every person, as my informant thought, who lived that side of the County.
It sounded before the death of persons who were born in these Parishes and died elsewhere. Sometimes the voice is heard long before death, yet three quarters of a year is the longest time before hand; but it must be a common thing indeed, as it came to be a common thing for people to say, by way of reproach, to a person making a disagreeable noise, Oh 'r Kghirraeth: and sometimes to children crying and groaning unreasonable.
In the Corpse Candles and the Kyhirraeth, therefore we have a double testimony of the being of Spirits, and the immortality of the soul. The one to the eyes, and the other to the ears of men: continued through a long course of time, giving no place to the opposite infidelity. These Corpse Candles are sometimes seen elsewhere, for I saw one in the Town of Wrexham, in Denbighshire, before the death of a lad in the adjoining house where I lodged.
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One William John, of the Parish of Lanboydi, a smith, on going home one night, being somewhat drunk and bold, (it seems too bold) saw one of the Corpse Candles; he went out of his way to meet with it, and when he came near it, he saw it was a burying, and the corpse upon the bier, the perfect resemblance of a woman in the neighbourhood whom he knew, holding the Candle between her fore fingers, who dreadfully grinned at him; and presently he was struck down from his horse, where he remained a while, and was ill a long time after before he recovered. This was before the real burying of the woman. His fault, and therefore his danger, was his coming presumptuously against the Candle.- This is another sensible proof of the Apparition and being of Spirits.
Poltergeist of Ffrwdwyllt Valley in Glamorganshire.
