ing light, the possible illusion of the imagination, under the influence of superstitious opinion. It may be proper to premise, that a witch, in her quality of night-mare, is stiled, in our popular superstition, a hag; and that consequently, a person troubled with the nightmare, is said to be hag-ridden.

About fifty years ago, there lived, at a village in Somersetshire, an old woman, who was generally reputed a witch. Her body was dry, and bent with age; she supported her feeble steps with crutches. Her voice was hollow, of mysterious, though hypocritical solemnity, and from her eye proceeded a glaring and a piercing light, which fixed the beholder in silent dread. Around the blazing, hearth many a tale was told, and every tale believed, of goods stolen and cattle slain, by more than human means-how she prophesied of ill to come, and dire mishap; and that whatever was foretold in her dark forebodings, was sure to come to pass; -how, often on the back of lusty cat, or broomstick vile, she traversed with lightening speed the fields of air, to work her witcheries in foreign lands. No one had doubt she had doings with the devil.

A young man of the same village, at the age

of one or two and twenty, and in the full vigour of health, began to receive all of a sudden the visits of the night-mare, every night as regularly as he went to bed. The sittings were so weighty and so long continued, that his health was soon materially affected. In the course of three or four months, from a strong and ruddy youth, he became feeble, pale, and emaciated; and finally exhibited the external symptoms of a person in a deep decline. Neither he, however, nor his neighbours, to whom he communicated his case, had any doubts re`specting the real cause of his sufferings.

In spite of the fears of superstition, he was a man of great resolution. He was resolved to lie in wait for the hag, awake. He resolved and re-resolved; but unfortunately, was always oppressed by sleep before the critical hour. At length he succeeded. He continued broad awake; when, at dead of night, he distinctly heard on the stairs, the sound of footsteps softly and cautiously ascending. He was all alive. He put his hands from under the bedclothes in readiness to grasp his prey. She reached the foot of the bed, ascended, and proceeded gently and gradually along either leg. Advanced beyond the knee, she was pre

paring to fall, with her leaden weight upon his breast. In an instant, he leapt towards her, seized her with both his hands by the hair, and held her with convulsive strength. At the same moment, he vociferated to his mother, who slept in an adjoining room, "Mother, I have caught the hag,—bring me a light.” The mother, in certain faith, flew down stairs for a candle.

Meanwhile, the contest continued with furious violence between the son and hag, who dragged him out of bed; and the struggle was then continued on the floor, with unabated rage, The candle was now kindled; but on the very first glimmer of its rays on the stair-case, the hag, with a supernatural force, tore herself from his grasp, and vanished like lightning from his eager eyes. He was found by his mother standing on the floor of the chamber, almost breathless with the efforts he had used, and with both his hands full of hair.

On hearing the story, I eagerly inquired for the locks of hair. He replied, without the slightest surprise or embarrassment: "Ay!I was much to blame for not keeping the hair; for that would have identified her person beyond dispute. But in the hurry of my feelings,

I let it drop on the floor; and she took especial care I should never see it more. But I so overhauled her, on this occasion, that she returned no more to torment me. It is curious, (said he,) that while I had her in my grasp, and was struggling with her, tho' I felt convinced who she must be, yet her breath, and the whole of her person, appeared to me like those of a blooming young woman."

The person to whom this very singular incident happened is still alive. I have heard the substance of the story, more than once, from his own mouth, and can therefore vouch for the truth of the effect, whatever we may think of the cause.

On the different Languages of the Inhabitants of Britain. Chap. 59, fol. 54.

As it is knowen how many manner people ben in this island, there ben also many languages. Netheless, Welchmen and Scots that ben not medled' with other nations, keep nigh yet their first language and speech; but yet tho Scots that were sometime confederate and dwelled with Picts, draw somewhat after their speech. But the Flemmings that dwell in the west side of Wales,

'mixed.

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have left their strange speech, and speaken like the Saxons. Also Englishmen, tho' they had fro the beginning three manner speeches, southern, northern, and middle speech, in the middle of the land, as they come of three manner people of Germania, netheless, by commixyon' and medling first with Danes, and afterwards with Normans, in many things the country language is appayred. For some use strange wlaffynge, chythring, harrying, and grysbytinge. This appairing of the language cometh of two things; one is by cause that children that goon to school, learn to speak first English, and then ben compelled to construe their lessons in French; and that have ben used syn the Normans came into England. Also gentlemen's children ben learned and taught from their youth to speak French; and uplandish men will counterfeit and liken themselves unto gentlemen, and aren besy to speak French for to be more set by. Wherefore it is said by a common proverb, " Jack would be a gentleman, if he could speak French."

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Trevisa proceeds:

This manner was much used before the great. death; but syth it is some deal changed: for Sir John Cornwall, a master of grammar, changed the teaching in grammar school, and construction of French into English; and other schoolmasters use

1 commixture. 2 mingling. 3 impaired. 4 impairing. 5 go. 6 since. 7 are busy.