Early accounts reported that in 1661 a local landowner, John Mompesson, owner of a house in the town of Tedworth (now called Tidworth, in Wiltshire), had brought a lawsuit against an unlicensed vagrant drummer William Drury, whom he accused of collecting money by false pretences. After he had won judgment against the drummer, the drum was turned over to Mompesson by the local bailiff. Mompesson then found his house plagued by nocturnal drumming noises. It was alleged that the drummer had brought these plagues of noise upon Mompesson's head by witchcraft.[2] Drury was said to have been associated with a band of gypsies.
Glanvill, who visited the house in 1663, had claimed to have heard strange scratching noises under a bed in the children's room.[3][4]
On Christmas Day 1667, Samuel Pepys, in his diary, records his wife, Elizabeth, reading the story to him. He found it to be "a strange story of spirits and worth reading indeed."
In 1668, Glanvill published one of the earlier versions of Saducismus Triumphatus, his A Blow at Modern Sadducism ... To which is added, The Relation of the Fam'd Disturbance by the Drummer, in the House of Mr. John Mompesson.
The famous instance of this, which has been spread far and wide, was the drumming in Mr Mompesson's house at Tedworth; who, it was said, acknowledged, 'It was all a trick, and that he had found out the whole contrivance.' Not so, my eldest brother, then at Christ Church, Oxon, inquired of Mr Mompesson, his fellow collegian, 'Whether his father had acknowledged this or not.' He answered, 'The resort of gentlemen to my father's house was so great, he could not bear the expense. He therefore took no pains to confute the report, that he had found out the cheat: although he and I, and all the family knew the account which was published, to be punctually true.'[5]
Drummer of Tedworth
Critical receptionedit
In 1716 the Whig writer and politician Joseph Addison wrote a play The Drummer inspired by events at Tedworth. However, he updated the story to the recent War of the Spanish Succession and gave a rational explanation for the ghostly drumming; a returning veteran thought killed in action does it to scare off two suitors from his now wealthy "widow."[6]
Amos Norton Craft (1881) also suggested that the phenomena were the result of trickery:
We are to remember also, that the house of Mr. Mompesson contained several servants who doubtless possessed a good degree of human nature; Mr. Mompesson had caused the arrest and imprisonment of a member of a band of gypsies, who were intensely enraged at him on that account that the disturbance ceased as soon as the gypsy was transported beyond the sea and his associates had no farther hope of his release; that these manifestations began again as soon as the gypsy returned from transportation; that the gypsy professed to be the cause of the disturbance, and that the excited imagination would naturally add to the manifestations which the enraged trickster really produced.[8]
Addington Bruce (1908) has argued that the phenomenon was fraudulently manufactured by Mompesson's own children, especially his oldest daughter, a girl of ten. Bruce wrote that the noises and movement of objects were reminiscent of pranks and often occurred in the children's bedroom. Bruce noted that Glanvill "passed only one night in the haunted house, and of his several experiences there is none that cannot be set down to fraud plus imagination, with the children the active agents."[9]
^Hunter, Michael (2005). "New light on the 'Drummer of Tedworth': conflicting narratives of witchcraft in Restoration England" (PDF). Historical Research. 78 (201): 311–353. doi:10.1111/j.1468-2281.2005.00226.x.
^Aldridge, Alfred Owen. "Franklin and the Ghostly Drummer of Tedworth", The William and Mary Quarterly, Vol. 7, No. 4 (Oct., 1950), pp. 559–567 doi:10.2307/1917046
^Davidson, Jane. (2012). Early Modern Supernatural: The Dark Side of European Culture, 1400–1700. Praeger. pp. 147–148. ISBN978-0-313-39343-3
^Waller, John. (2004). Leaps in the Dark: The Making of Scientific Reputations. Oxford University Press. pp. 20–21. ISBN0-19-280484-7
^The Works of the Rev. John Wesley, vol. 3, p. 246
^Michael, Hunter. The Decline of Magic: Britain in the Enlightenment. Yale University Press, 2020. p. 117
^Mackay, Charles. (1856 edition). Memoirs of Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds. London, New York: G. Routledge and Sons. pp. 226–227
^Craft, Amos Norton. (1881). Epidemic Delusions: Containing an Exposé of the Superstitions and Frauds which Underlie Some Ancient and Modern Delusions, Including Especial Reference to Modern Spiritualism. New York: Phillips & Hunt. p. 193
^Bruce, Addington. (1908). Historic Ghosts and Ghost Hunters. New York: Moffat, Yard & Company. pp. 28–35
^Lang, Andrew. (1893). Fairies and Psychical Research. In Robert Kirk. The Secret Commonwealth of Elves, Fauns and Fairies. London: David Nutt. pp. 55–56.
Further readingedit
P. T. Barnum. (1866). The Humbugs of the World: An Account of Humbugs, Delusions, Impositions, Quackeries, Deceits and Deceivers Generally, in All Ages. New York, Carleton.
Addington Bruce. (1908). Historic Ghosts and Ghost Hunters. New York: Moffat, Yard & Company.
January 01, 1970
drummer, tedworth, case, alleged, poltergeist, manifestation, west, country, england, recorded, joseph, glanvill, book, saducismus, triumphatus, 1681, devil, drum, from, frontispiece, third, edition, saducismus, triumphatus, 1700, contents, history, critical, . The Drummer of Tedworth is the case of an alleged poltergeist manifestation in the West Country of England recorded by Joseph Glanvill in his book Saducismus Triumphatus 1681 1 The devil and the drum from the frontispiece to the third edition of Saducismus Triumphatus 1700 Contents 1 History 2 Critical reception 3 See also 4 References 5 Further readingHistory editEarly accounts reported that in 1661 a local landowner John Mompesson owner of a house in the town of Tedworth now called Tidworth in Wiltshire had brought a lawsuit against an unlicensed vagrant drummer William Drury whom he accused of collecting money by false pretences After he had won judgment against the drummer the drum was turned over to Mompesson by the local bailiff Mompesson then found his house plagued by nocturnal drumming noises It was alleged that the drummer had brought these plagues of noise upon Mompesson s head by witchcraft 2 Drury was said to have been associated with a band of gypsies Glanvill who visited the house in 1663 had claimed to have heard strange scratching noises under a bed in the children s room 3 4 On Christmas Day 1667 Samuel Pepys in his diary records his wife Elizabeth reading the story to him He found it to be a strange story of spirits and worth reading indeed In 1668 Glanvill published one of the earlier versions of Saducismus Triumphatus his A Blow at Modern Sadducism To which is added The Relation of the Fam d Disturbance by the Drummer in the House of Mr John Mompesson Reverent John Wesley made reference to the Drummer at Tedworth in his journal The famous instance of this which has been spread far and wide was the drumming in Mr Mompesson s house at Tedworth who it was said acknowledged It was all a trick and that he had found out the whole contrivance Not so my eldest brother then at Christ Church Oxon inquired of Mr Mompesson his fellow collegian Whether his father had acknowledged this or not He answered The resort of gentlemen to my father s house was so great he could not bear the expense He therefore took no pains to confute the report that he had found out the cheat although he and I and all the family knew the account which was published to be punctually true 5 nbsp Drummer of TedworthCritical reception editIn 1716 the Whig writer and politician Joseph Addison wrote a play The Drummer inspired by events at Tedworth However he updated the story to the recent War of the Spanish Succession and gave a rational explanation for the ghostly drumming a returning veteran thought killed in action does it to scare off two suitors from his now wealthy widow 6 Charles Mackay in his Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds 1841 considered the phenomena to be undoubtedly fraudulent produced by confederates of the drummer and suggested Mompesson was easily deceived 7 Amos Norton Craft 1881 also suggested that the phenomena were the result of trickery We are to remember also that the house of Mr Mompesson contained several servants who doubtless possessed a good degree of human nature Mr Mompesson had caused the arrest and imprisonment of a member of a band of gypsies who were intensely enraged at him on that account that the disturbance ceased as soon as the gypsy was transported beyond the sea and his associates had no farther hope of his release that these manifestations began again as soon as the gypsy returned from transportation that the gypsy professed to be the cause of the disturbance and that the excited imagination would naturally add to the manifestations which the enraged trickster really produced 8 Addington Bruce 1908 has argued that the phenomenon was fraudulently manufactured by Mompesson s own children especially his oldest daughter a girl of ten Bruce wrote that the noises and movement of objects were reminiscent of pranks and often occurred in the children s bedroom Bruce noted that Glanvill passed only one night in the haunted house and of his several experiences there is none that cannot be set down to fraud plus imagination with the children the active agents 9 Andrew Lang of the Society for Psychical Research wrote that the Drummer was suspected but consciously or not the children were probably the agents 10 See also editCock Lane ghost Old Rectory EpworthReferences edit Hunter Michael 2005 New light on the Drummer of Tedworth conflicting narratives of witchcraft in Restoration England PDF Historical Research 78 201 311 353 doi 10 1111 j 1468 2281 2005 00226 x Aldridge Alfred Owen Franklin and the Ghostly Drummer of Tedworth The William and Mary Quarterly Vol 7 No 4 Oct 1950 pp 559 567 doi 10 2307 1917046 Davidson Jane 2012 Early Modern Supernatural The Dark Side of European Culture 1400 1700 Praeger pp 147 148 ISBN 978 0 313 39343 3 Waller John 2004 Leaps in the Dark The Making of Scientific Reputations Oxford University Press pp 20 21 ISBN 0 19 280484 7 The Works of the Rev John Wesley vol 3 p 246 Michael Hunter The Decline of Magic Britain in the Enlightenment Yale University Press 2020 p 117 Mackay Charles 1856 edition Memoirs of Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds London New York G Routledge and Sons pp 226 227 Craft Amos Norton 1881 Epidemic Delusions Containing an Expose of the Superstitions and Frauds which Underlie Some Ancient and Modern Delusions Including Especial Reference to Modern Spiritualism New York Phillips amp Hunt p 193 Bruce Addington 1908 Historic Ghosts and Ghost Hunters New York Moffat Yard amp Company pp 28 35 Lang Andrew 1893 Fairies and Psychical Research In Robert Kirk The Secret Commonwealth of Elves Fauns and Fairies London David Nutt pp 55 56 Further reading editP T Barnum 1866 The Humbugs of the World An Account of Humbugs Delusions Impositions Quackeries Deceits and Deceivers Generally in All Ages New York Carleton Addington Bruce 1908 Historic Ghosts and Ghost Hunters New York Moffat Yard amp Company Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Drummer of Tedworth amp oldid 1213849871, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
