of Denbighshire then at school, who was an eye-witness of it :—

"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 temember, 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 Kac-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 to 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 were 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 all four,
Their sudden flight, and seeing them no
more,

Do still confirm the wonder more and more.

"Thus far Mr E. W's Letter." "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 she 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 had blue and green aprons on. They were of a small stature, and appeared rather old."

IV.-Dogs of Hell.

One time as Thomas Miles Harry was 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 left 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 Llwyn, 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.

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 Mynyddastreyn, whereby he knew that they were what are called Cron wybir (Sky Dogs), but in the inward part of Wales, Cwn-annwn (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.

"W. J. 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 gene. rally 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 had gone about half-a-mile, it transformed itself into a great fire, as large as a small field, and resembled the noise which a fire makes in burning gorse."

"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 own 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 the dog.'" "As R. A. was going to Laugharn town one evening, on some business, it being late, her mother dissuaded her from going, telling her it was late, and that she would be benighted; likely she might be terrified by an apparition, which was both seen and heard by many, and by her father among others, at a place called Pant y Madog, which was a pit by the side of the lane leading to Laugharn, filled with water, and not quite dry in the summer. However, she seemed not to be afraid, therefore went to Laugharn. On coming back before night, (though it was rather dark) she passed by the place; but not without thinking of the apparition. But being a little beyond this pit, in a field where there was a little rill of water, and just going to pass it, having one foot stretched over it, and look ing before her, she saw something like a great dog (one of the dogs of hell) coming towards her; being within four or five yards of her, it stopped, sat down, and set up such a scream, so horrible, so loud, and so strong, that she thought the earth moved under her, with which she fainted, and fell down. She did not awake and go to the next house, which was but the length of one field from the place, until about midnight; having one foot wet in the rill of water which she was going to pass when she saw the apparition.'

"Before the light of the gospel prevailed, Vor. III.

there were, in Carmarthenshire and elsewhere, often heard before burials, what by some were called Cwn Annwn (dogs of hell), by others Cwn bendith eu Mammau (dogs of the fairies), and by some Conwybir (sky dogs). The nearer they were to man, the less their voice was-like that of small beetles; and the farther the louder and sometimes like the voice of a great hound sounding among them, like that of a bloodhound a deep hollow voice."

:

"One Thomas Phillips of Trelech parish heard those spiritual dogs, and the great dog sounding among them; and they went in a way which no corpse used to go; at which he wondered, as he knew they used to go only in the way in which the corpse was to go. Not long after a woman who came from another parish, that died at Trelech, was carried that way to her own parish church to be buried, in the way in which those spiritual dogs seemed to hunt."

"An acquaintance of mine, a man perfectly firm to tell the truth, being out at night, heard a hunting in the air, and as if they overtook something which they hunted after, and being overtaken made a miserable cry among them, and seemed to escape; but overtaken again, made the same dismal cry; and again escaped, and followed after till out of hearing."

V.-Corpse Candles.

"About the latter end of the 16th century, and the beginning of the 17th, there lived in the valley of Ebwy Fawr, one Walter John Harry, belonging to the people called Quakers, a harmless honest man, and by occupation a farrier, who went to live at Ty yn y Fid, in that valley, where one Morgan Lewis, a weaver, had lived before him, and after his death had appeared to some and troubled the house. One night, Walter being in bed with his wife, and awake, saw a light come up stairs, and expecting to see the spectre, and being somewhat afraid, though he was naturally a very fearless man, strove to awake his wife by pinching her, but could not awake her; and seeing the spectre coming with a candle in his hand, and a white woollen cap upon his head, and the dress he always wore, resolved to speak to him, and did when he came near the bed, and said,

Morgan Lewis, why dost thou walk this earth? To which the apparition gravely answered, like one in some distress, that it was because of some bottoms of wool which he had hid in the wall of the house, which he desired him to take away, and then he would trouble them no more.' And then Walter said, I charge thee, Morgan Lewis, in the name of God, that thou trouble my house no more;' at which he vanished away, and appeared no more."

"A clergyman's son in this county, but now a clergyman himself in England, who in his younger days was somewhat vicious, 2 B

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 and 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 wake 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 until 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 him, 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 gentlemen have not seen the corpse-candles of Wales; but they should believe the numerous and evercontinuing witnesses of it, and not foolishly discredit abundant matters of fact, attested by 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."

"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 batch 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."

"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."

The fore-knowledge of those corpsecandle spirits, concerning deaths and burials, is wonderful, particular as the following instance will shew-One Rees Thomas, a carpenter, passing through a place called Rhiw Edwest, near Cappel Ewen, by night, heard a stir coming towards him, walking and speaking; and when they were come to him, he felt as if some person put their hand upon his shoulder, and saying to him, Rhys bach pa foda yr y'ch chwi ?-(Dear Rees, how are you) which surprised him much, for he saw nothing. But a month after, passing that way, he met a burying in that very place; and a woman who was in the company, put her hand upon him and spoke exactly the same words to him that the invisible spirit had spoken to him before; at which he could no less than wonder.

This

I had from the mouth of Mr T. I. of Trevach, a godly minister of the gospel."

"The following account I had from under the hand of Mr Morris Griffith, 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 I 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 I saw it go along to the churchyard, 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 church-yard, 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 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 handling the boards in the garret, as was made before by some spirit, who foreknew the death that was 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 light stop after it came out of the church. This is what I can boldly testify, having seen and heard what I relate,a thing which before I could not believe.

MORRIS GRIFFITH." "Some have been so hardy as to lye down by the wayside where the corpse-candle passed, that they may see what passed; for they were not hurted who did not stand in the way. Some have seen the resemblance of a skull carrying the candle, others the shape of the person that is to die, carrying the candle between its fore fingers, holding the light before its face. Some have said that they saw the shape of those who were to be at the burying. I am willing to suspend my belief of this, as seeming to be extravagant, though their foreboding knowledge of mortality appears to be very wonderful and undeniable."

VI.-The Kyhirraeth.

"I am now going to give you an account of the Kyhirraeth, a doleful foreboding noise before death, and inquire into the cause of this, and of the appearance of the corpse-candles.

D. P. of Lan y Byther parish, a sober sensible man, and careful to tell the truth, informed me, that in the beginning of the night, his wife and maid-servant being together in the house, which was by the wayside, they heard the doleful voice of the Kyhirraeth; and when it came over against the window, it pronounced these strange words, of no signification that we know of Woolach, Woolach; and sometime after a burying passed that way. I confess a word of this sound, especially the latter part of the last syllable sounding in Welsh like the twenty-third letter of the Greek alphabet, at least as they pronounced it formerly in the schools, pronounced by a spirit of the night near at hand, with a disagreeable horrid-sounding voice, was very terrible and impressive upon the mind and memory. 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 threefold 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' foreknowledge. Sometimes, when it cries very loud, it bears a resemblance of one crying who is troubled with a stitch. If it meets any hinderance 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, Bettws, Lanedi, Lannon, Cydweli, Langenich, Penfre, 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 Kyhirraeth ; and sometimes to children crying and groaning unreasonable."

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."

"Walter Watkins of Neuath, in the parish of Landdetty, in the county of Brecon, being at school at Carmarthen, and as he and some other scholars, who lodged in the same house with him, were playing ball by the house, late in the evening, heard the dismal mournful noise of the Kyhirraeth very near them, but could see nothing which was very shocking to hear. Though these sort of men are incredulous enough, yet they were soon persuaded that it was the

voice of neither man nor beast, but of some

spirit, which made them leave their play

and run into the house. Not long after, a man who lived near the house died. This kind of noise is always heard before some person's death.

"The woman of the house where these scholars lodged, related to them many such accounts, which they heard with contempt and ridicule, believing nothing of what she said. One morning they asked her, sportingly, what she had seen or heard of a spirit that night? She readily answered, that she heard a spirit come to the door, and passing by her while she sat by the fire, it seemed to walk into a room where a sick man was, and after some time I heard it coming back, and as if it fell down in a faint and was raised up again. Soon after the sick man rose up, thinking he was able to walk, came into the room where the woman heard the

fall, and fell down dead in that very part of the room where the spirit made the same kind of stir which his fall made, and was made by those that raised him up."

"In Montgomeryshire.-Edward Lloyd, in the parish of Langyrig, being very ill, those that were with him heard the voice of some person very near them; they looked about the house, but could see no person; the voice seemed to be in the room where

they were. Soon after they heard these words, by something unseen, Y mae Nenbren y Ty yn craccio (the uppermost beam of the house cracketh); soon after, Fe dorr yn y man (it will presently break); then they heard the same voice say, Dyna fy yn torri (there it breaks): he died that moment, which much affected the company."

"A woman in Carmarthen town, protested to Mr Charles Winter, of the parish of Bedwellty (who was then at the academy, and since became a preacher of the gospel), that she heard like the sound of a company, as it were a burying coming up from a river, and presently as it were the sound of a cart coming another way to meet the com

pany; and the cart seemed to stop while

the company went by, and then went on. Soon after a dead corpse was brought from the river from one of the vessels, and a cart met the burying, and stopped till the com

pany passed by, exactly as the woman heard. Mr W. was no man to tell an untruth, and the woman no self-interest to serve by telling an untruth. The wonder is, how these spirits can so particularly forshow things to come. Either their knowledge of future things near at hand must be very great, or they must have a great influence to accomplish things as foreshown. Be it either way, the thing is wonderful! of the very minute and particular knowledge of these spirits in the manner of death and burials."

The reader will be at no loss to perceive the resemblance of the above superstitions to those of the Highlands of Scotland. The same book contains about the devil, balls of fire, &c. but a great variety of miscellaneous stories I have sent you all the passages that appeared to me worthy of transcription. If this communication be acceptable, you shall hear from me again ere long. T. P. C.

Bristol, May 4th.

LETTER FROM Z. TO LEIGH HUNT, KING OF THE COCKNEYS.

SIRE,

YOUR Majesty, the King of the Cockneys, having signified your royal resolution to preserve an inviolable silence towards me, the unfortunate Z., who am said to "think the green leaves black," and to be "ignorant of all noble theories," (I refer your Majesty to one of your late edicts in the Cockney Court-gazette,) I shall, notwithstanding, as it becomes a good and faithful subject to do, continue to pay a little further homage to your Majesty; and I therefore now seek, with a fitting tribute, once more to approach your throne. In the first place, then, I humbly suggest, that you give yourself too many of those regal airs so natural to a crowned head, and that you conduct yourself, at your court at Lisson Grove, with a stateliness and hauteur that may be considered, by the youthful nobility of Cockaigne, a perfect model of monarchical dignity, but is, in fact, risibly characteristic of your plebeian origin and education. Your Majesty is also subject to unseemly fits of passion, which you try to smile off before your courtiers with an aspect alarmingly ghastly; yet, on the whole, your personal appearance, which with wincing soreness you ac