"The next morning this dying woman told her mother that she had been at home with her children. 'That is impossible,' said the mother, for you have been in bed all the while.' 'Yes,' replied the other, 'but I was with them last night when I was asleep.'

"The nurse at Rochester, widow Alexander by name, affirms, and says she will take her oath on't before a magistrate, and take the sacrament upon it, that a little while before two o'clock that morning she saw the likeness of the said Mary Goffe come out of the next chamber (where the elder child lay in a bed by itself), the door being left open, and stood by her bedside for about a quarter of an hour; the younger child was there lying by her. Her eyes moved and her mouth went, but she said nothing. The nurse, moreover, says that she was perfectly awake; it was then daylight, being one of the longest days in the year. She sat up in her bed and looked steadfastly upon the apparition. In that time she heard the bridge clock strike two, and a while after said, 'In the name of the Father, who art thou.' Thereupon the appearance removed and went away. She slipped on her clothes and followed, but what became on't she cannot tell. Then, and not before, she began to be grievously affrighted, and went out of doors and walked upon the wharf (the house is just on the river-side) for some hours, only going in now and then to look to the children. At five o'clock she went to a neighbour's house and knocked at the door, but they would not rise. At six she went again; then they rose and let her in. She related to them all

that had passed; they would persuade her she was mistaken or dreamt. But she confidently affirmed, ‘If ever I saw her in all my life, I saw her this night.'

"One of those to whom she made the relation (Mary, the wife of John Sweet), had a messenger come from Malling that forenoon, to let her know her neighbour Goffe was dying and desired to speak with her. She went over the same day, and found her just departing. The mother, among other discourse, related to her how much her daughter had longed to see the children, and said she had seen them. This brought to Mrs. Sweet's mind what the nurse had told her that morning; for till then she had not thought to mention it, but disguised it, rather, as the woman's disturbed imagination.

"The substance of this I had related to me," says Mr. Tilson, "by John Carpenter, the father of the deceased, the next day after her burial, July the 2nd. I fully discoursed the matter with the nurse and two neighbours, to whose house she went that morning. Two days after, I had it from the mother, the minister that was with her in the evening, and the woman who sat up with her that last night. They all agree in the same story, and everyone helps to strengthen the other's testimony. They appear to be sober, intelligent persons, far enough off from designing to impose a cheat upon the world, or to manage a lie; and what temptation they could lie under for so doing I cannot conceive."

And thus ends this incomprehensible affair.

RUSHEN CASTLE.

To mention many of the curious supernatural legends connected with the Castle of Rushen, in Castletown, Isle of Man, might only excite ridicule, and yet belief in the wildest of them still lingers in the vicinity. Among other terrifying apparitions which still, or until very recently did haunt this ancient stronghold is that of a woman who, some years ago, was executed for the murder of her child. The quantity and quality of the testimony adduced in corroboration of the appearance of this spectre is absolutely startling, many persons of good position and acknowledged veracity giving confirmatory evidence. Their united testimony is to the effect that an apparition of the executed woman frequently passes in and out of the castle gates when they are shut, in the presence of the sentinels and other spectators. Indeed, it is alleged that the sight of this phantom has become quite familiar to them; but no one has yet had the courage to speak to it, therefore it has not been enabled to unfold the object of its appearance.

In his quaint Description of the island, Waldron gives the following curious tradition as connected with the venerable Manx Castle, in which, he states, there is an apartment that has never been opened in the memory of man. The persons belonging to the castle are very cautious in giving any reason for it, it is alleged, but

the natives unconnected with the castle aver that there is something supernatural in it, and tell you that formerly the place was inhabited by giants, who were dislodged by Merlin, and such as were not driven away are spell-bound beneath the castle. In proof of this they relate a very strange story which is told by Waldron in these terms :—

"They say there are a great many fine apartments under ground, exceeding in magnificence any of the upper rooms. Several men of more than ordinary courage have, in former times, ventured down to explore the secrets of this subterranean dwelling-place, but none of them ever returned to give an account of what they saw. It was, therefore, judged expedient that all the passages to it should be continually shut, that no more might suffer by their temerity. About some fifty or fifty-five years since a person possessed of uncommon boldness and resolution begged permission to visit these dark abodes. He at length obtained his request, went down, and returned by the help of a clue of pack-thread which he took with him, which no man before had ever done, and brought this amazing discovery :-That after he had passed through a great number of vaults, he came into a long narrow place, which, the further he penetrated, he perceived that he went more and more. on a descent, till having travelled, as near as he could guess, for the space of a mile, he began to see a gleam of light which, though it seemed to come from a vast distance, was the most delightful object he ever beheld. Having at length arrived at the end of that lane of

darkness, he perceived a large and magnificent house, illuminated with many candles, whence proceeded the light he had seen. Having, before he began the expedition, well fortified himself with brandy, he had courage enough to knock at the door, which, on the third knock, was opened by a servant, who asked him what he wanted. 'I would go as far as I can,' replied our adventurer; 'be so kind, therefore, as to direct me how to accomplish my design, for I see no passage but that dark cavern through which I came.' The servant told him he must go through that house, and accordingly led him through a long entry and out at a back door. He then walked a considerable way, till he beheld another house more magnificent than the first, and, all the windows being open, he discovered innumerable lamps burning in every room.

"Here also he designed to knock, but had the curiosity to step on a little bank which commanded a view of a low parlour, and looking in, he beheld a vast table in the middle of the room, and on it, extended at full length, a man, or rather monster, at least fourteen feet long, and ten or twelve round the body. This prodigious fabric lay as if sleeping, with his head upon a book, with a sword by him, answerable to the hand which he supposed made use of it. The sight was more terrifying to our traveller than all the dark and dreary mansions through which he had passed. He resolved, therefore, not to attempt an entrance into a place inhabited by persons of such monstrous stature, and made the best of his way back to the other house,