Horrid and Strange News from IRELAND: Being a True RELATION Of what happened in the Province of Munster, at a Castle of one of the Fitz Garrets, called Ballimarter, wherein there were very strange Apparitions, the like never before heard of, to the amazement of all the Beholders.  
Written by Henry Lovel Gent. being an Eyewitnesse and a fellow-feeler thereof, now in London ready to aver the same for truth.  

This is licensed and Entered according to Order.   
LONDON, Printed by Tho. Harper. 1643.   

Horrid and strange News from Ireland.  
I Being in Ireland, and traveling into Munster, with Sir Donough Mac carry, now Lord of Musquerie, wee came to a Castle of one of the Fitz Garrets called Ballimarter, where our lodging was in a low chamber at the upper end of the Hall, the chamber had two windows, a long table, two forms, two beds; my friend and his cousen, one of the sons of the Gentleman of the Castle lay together, and I lay against the door: as we came into the chamber a hound of the house going in before me, I saw the Dog show great fear as he went under the bed, but I thought nothing of it: one of the servants set down a candle upon the ground by me, and there came a blast of wind from the door, and blue out the candle that it struck the snuff on the one side; said I, who blue out the candle, no body here, said my friend, then no body did it said I, and then, and not before, did I remember what my friend said to me upon the way, that the house was haunted with Spirits; presently something made such a noise upon the top of the tester like the noise of squibs: how now said I, are you there already? the thing made the like noise again, I stepped up at the beds feet, and there was a handsome beast like a Cat, and it turned the head and looked upon me, it was grisled about the nose, and away it scudled to the upper end of the bed, and sunk down. I  told the company that I had seen the finest beast that ever I saw in my life, after wee were in bed there were lights upon the wall that went round about the chamber, but something had got my friend by the leg, and he cried out mainly, and I did not find that his bed-fellow give him any help at all, which made me think he cried so to make me afraid, but he being almost pulled out by the heels the Spirit let go his leg, and his bed-fellow began to roar out a main, and I began to startle: whats the matter with you there said I: there is one, says he, lies upon me & is ready to kill me: thought I with myself, if the heir of the house be thus dealt withall, I shall bee paid by and by: with that I felt something creeping upon the bed, but it was nothing but the Hound that came for succour; then the boots began for to fly at their heads, the table went one way, the forms were drawn another way, such a damnable noise in the Hall as if twenty had been together by the ears: I thought that all the Divels in Hell were gotten together, but I could see nothing, and that was thrown was at their heads, this continued three houres together; and then began the stir over head among the servants, all the bed clothes pulled off them, beaten with their bootes, and never gave them over until it was almost day.  
The next day being Friday my friend went into the Country about some business, but that night I heard nothing stir in the chamber, but in the Hall, and among the servants above they were soundly beaten. Upon Saturday at night my friend came home, and I coming from the board in the Hall, there stood a candle upon the table, and one of the servants taking the candlestick in his hand, there came a breath or blast of wind of the colour of a Rain-bow as big as my arm, as if it had come out of a squirt, with that force that if it had been a torch it would have been blown out, said I, we are like to have a pr●●y night of this when as we cannot be suffered to go quietly out of the Hall; as soon as we were in bed, there was a Bell rung about the chamber, and such a crying of O hone all about the yard, that it was wonderful to hear their audible voices; immediately my rug was pulled from me, I complained to my friend for the loss of my clothes, by my soul said he, we have lost rug, and sheet and all, let us rise together and get our clothes, but he made me no answer. I heard something rattle upon the chest at my beds feet, do you hear Sir, said I, do you mean I shall lie could all night, presently I saw the rug come flying about the bed post gripped at one corner, and so thrown upon me: I felt to see how it was laid, and I could not mend it. I took good hold of the rugge with both my hands, for I thought this kindness came not for nothing, presently something took hold of the clothes a little below my knees, and pulled me up from the bolster: I pulled again, and down the Spirit fell upon me as it were with two fi●ts, after which, he pulled me up from the bolster eight or ten times, thought I if he continue to pull thus divelishly, he will tyer me out quiter, I must think of a remedy, I gave a strong pull with all my might, and withall I start up and caught at him with one of my hands so that I made him let go, he struck me instantly with a boot over the knees, and laid on me as if I had done him a great deal of wrong. I start up and caught at the boot, but he shifted from one side to the other that I could never touch the boot; thought I, this is not the way, he struck upon one side, and I caught on the other side, & then I had gotten the boot by the top with both hands, and then did I see him, he was no bigger then an Ape, but we made such an noise with puffing and blowing that my friend thought they had been killing of me, and asked me how I did, said I, here is a rogue hath beaten me with a boot, and I have hold of it, and will tear it in pieces before he shall pull the boot from me, but at last I haled him so near me that I thought to catch him in mine arms, but he tumbled down at the beds feet, and I was taken by the foot with a hand, I beat him off with the other foot, up comes a thing tumbling upon me, and sits upon my legs, I gave twenty plundges at him before I could kick him off: my friend called to me to know how I did, said I, h●●e is a rogue rides me, but he was no sooner down but he was upon me again, but I start up and struck at him, and then he tumbled off me, in the mean time my friend knocked for his men, but no help came, and then the Spirits made sundry noises in the chamber, but especially one of them, for he cried Weshaw, Weshaw, Weshaw, hold said I a little, I perceive you understand all Languages, it may be that God will be so pleased that some way may be sound for the quiet of this place, but they cried out as they did: I commanded them in Gods name to depart the chamber, but they continued their outraging noise until it pleased themselves; in comes a younger son of Mr. Fitz Garrets to know how we did, my friend having lain long without his clothes, thought it a good time to get them, but as he stooped to take them up he had such a blow upon the bum that made him leap above ground, and came running to my bed side but he was followed so close that they both beat in upon me; young Fitz Garret tumbled over to the wall, my friend got in by me, but finding little rest there, he left me naked, and the cry began as it did before, Weshaw, Weshaw, and one lay snoring at my ear: sirra said I, you are broken winded, but the chamber being a little quiet, I looked towards the door, and there I saw the shape of a man, and he pissed in my face, said I to my friend here is a rogue pisies, he would have said something to me but the Spirit pist in his mouth: by my soul, said he, the Spirit hath pissed in my mouth: you unmannerly Rascall said I, is this the entertainment you give to Gentlemen? this is the roguest trick that ever I did see; I was about to rise, and run upon him, but there appears one in a white shirt by the beds side, and he played with something under his shirt against his belly, that he made such a tuneable noise that I could not but laugh at his roguery: how now sirra said I, are you good at that sport? here is a sweet crew of you, and with that I start up, and then away he went towards the door; my friend being weary of his lodging got up, and ran where his bed clothes lay, and got to his own bed, after he was gone they slang all the boots and shoes that were in the chamber at me; in the end there came a weighty thing upon me, what is that said the young man by me, nothing said I, but one of the long forms, and I pushed it down at the beds feet, then they tumbled a joint stool upon the bed, and thus they did divers times; the room being a little quiet the young man ran out of the chamber: said my friend to me, do you see nothing at my window? there was the same shape in a white shirt that came to the bed side, and having opened the shutting of the window, he raised himself up to the height of the window, and grew big in the upper parts, and slender below, spreading his arms abroad naked up to the elbow, and sometimes he would sink down to his former posture, and up again with a body like a giant: in the end I called him, white shirt said I, you have done very we●l, and then he shut up the window and was seen no more: my friend called to me again, see you nothing at our window, I looked and saw two hands taboring upon the glass: those hands have a face, said I, I will out and see, but I could see nothing but his arms, and his head bob up and down, it was as light as day in the yard: then he tossed up a short mantle to the top of the window, and when it fell down he took it in his arms, and up with it again, thus did he divers times: thought I he will do something else besides playing with his mantle, I will stand to the casement, it may be he will open it, and then I shall see his posture, if not, I will open the window. I had no sooner settled myself but the casement opened without any wind at all, and he looks in upon me, a young face, long, lean and hollow eyed: I thrust my hand at his throat, but he avoided most nimbly under my hand, and clapped himself flat to the wall, as flat as a cake, and turned up his face and looked at me. O you Rogue said I, I will see how you will bestow yourself, but my fight was taken from him upon another that stood against the window in English apparel, and he began to walk towards the Hall stairs, so I shut the window and went to bed, but I was scarce laid down when one of them struck me over the face with a leather belt, and hurt my face: nay said I, take this and take all, and after him I went, and striking at him I hit my friends bed post, and hurt my fingers, then was I wild, and ran after him about the table, and laid about me upon every side, and seeing some shadows before me, I spread my arms abroad, and ran them up against the wall at the door but I thought they went out into the entry: I followed after, and locked up the door, and as I was taking out the key; I  told my friend that I had driven all the hel-hounds out of the chamber, but turning my head aside, there was one in white looking over my shoulder, & away goes he between the table and the wall, and I after him with the key in my hand, striving to take him upon the pate, but he kept his distance so before me, that I found if I struck I should strike short, which made me sling the key at his back, and the key went through him for he was but a shadow, and he vanished away before me; the key sprung back under the tables end, and I could not find it, and then I went and lay down in my bed, and I saw a black head looking out from under my friends bed, and out he creeps in his former shape, goes to the tables end, stoops under and takes up the key, and goes into the entry, and unlocks the door, and takes the latch in his other hand, and flings the door wide open, and walks along the entry into the Hall; a harp being in the window one begins to play an Irish tune, and played half a quarter of an hour, but so singularly well, that it was not possible for man to do the like, and played an Irish dance, and before I was ware there was some seven or eight young men to look upon, dancing in a ring, and one of them had a pair of tables in his hands, and all to rattled them up and down, and when he left playing they were not to be seen: then he played again, and they were in again dancing as before, but as soon as he left playing they were vanished upon a sudden: well thought I, you shall serve me so no more, a mouse shall not come in at the door but I will see it, the first thing I saw was a whip of lightning no bigger then a bow-string, and withall there was a limb of the devil kicked into the room, and gave such a bounce that it drew my sight fully upon it, but before I could cast up my sight there was the shape of a body proportionable unto it, this shape was fifteen or sixteen foot of length, that his head touched the roof of the chamber, and as he did walk forward he bounced and made such a noise that it was wonder to hear: I beholded him with a sorrowful countenance, and I saw his knees above the board, and I could not reach near his waste, I having no acquaintance with him formerly, I thought it was an unequal match to grapple with him, but I will see the going out, and after many turns when he came to make himself even with the door he vanished and became nothing, and presently the cry was above stairs, the servants lay three in a bed, and among them was a Priest, the first that was laid hold of was the Priest, they had him by the legs, and he cried out for help, and with much ado, his fellowes kept him that he was not drawn quiter out of the bed, but there he lay with fear and trembling all that night, and stayed not in the morning to take leave: in the next bed lay a Harper, and he was pulled out of the bed by the stones with a whip-cord, and in the fall hurt his shoulder and was shrewdly beat about the chamber, before he could recover his bed, not one 〈◇〉 of clo●ths left upon them, and were beaten with boots until daylight.  
Upon Sunday night I had a fire in my chamber, and a boy to maintain the fire, and a staff in my hand, purposing to be master of my lodging that night, I coming foremost with my ●at in my hand, the stones came flying in at the window thick and threefold, but I shut the casement with my staff and held down the latch of the casement, and they pinched my finger in the ring of the casement, so that my nail was bruised, but I would not let go, my friend standing in the chamber door desired me to stand off from the window, doubting that my brains would have been dashed out with the stones; they flang two stones through the next light which flew by my shoulder, broke four panes of the glass, and yet all the broken glass flue backward into the yard, and the cross led was beaten outward into the yard, and yet the stones flue into the chamber: the company being gone, I went to lock the chamber door, but I could not find the staple, I called my friend, and bid him see if he could find the staple, I shot the lock into his hand and put the door close to the post, and yet no staple would be found, so we gave it over as pulled out of the post, and yet the staple was not taken out of the post: said I, it is no great matter for shutting of the door, for if any of them come in I will make him an example to the rest of his fellows if I may see him, in the mean time I walked up and down the chamber expecting no good: it was not long before I had a thump in the neck with a turf thrown at me that it struck my cap on the one side, which I did not take very well, but it was not long but they hit me so again, I laid about me with my staff, but all in vain, for I could see nothing; at last something came down the chimney rattling, which was nothing but an old scrubed broom, and then came down such another, the basket hilt of a cudgel and stones they threw down into the fire, then said I if you dare come no nearer I shall do well enough this night, but they got a trick at last that if I were at one end of the chamber, they would all to beat them that were in bed, but I came in to help them suddenly, in the end they desired me to sit by them upon the bed, and full many a thump upon the back I had, but I would not be driven from them, then they were so mad they threw the fire about the chamber: said I, I think these hel-hounds will burn the house, and as I sat upon the bed they clapped the hilt of the cudgel upon my cap, do you see what a coxcomb they have put upon my head, I gave it the boy and made him burn it, then they took my Rapier off the bed and threw it against the ground, and when I took it up they threw a pistol after me and hit me on the leg: the night being well spent, and the fire almost wasted, the boy unseen by me was gone out of the chamber to get up the stairs to his bed, but before he could get up they pulled him down by the heels and beat him, so that he cried for help amain. I not thinking of the boy ran to help, meaning to lay indifferently amongst them never remembering the boy, but as soon as I came among them they let the boy go, and he ran into my arms, and I lead him into the chamber, but they had handled him so ruffly, that I could not quiet him in a good while, and he  told me that if I had not come and rescued him they had killed him, then I went and sat by my friend, and set my candle upon the form before me and they threw three times at it from the bed but did not put it out, then I took the candle in my hand and went and sat upon my own bed, and set the candle by me, and I heard something at the door; I ran and pulled open the door, and there were some eight in the shapes of men, and the hindmost was in English habit, and they crowded one upon another making hast to be gone, so that the former was ready to turn into the Hall; when I had the first sight of this hopeful crew, and they were so far gone from me that I could not give a blow upon them, so I set my back against the door, and bid one of them if he durst come and drive me into the chamber; but they did not show themselves nor make any noise: well said I, rather then want sport come all the whole crew of you and let us have one rough 'bout before I go to rest: then they shewed the light of a candle through the chinks of the stairs; said I, now I perceive your meaning, you intend to go and visit your friends above stairs, and I will go and take my rest, and as soon as I had shut my door, I might hear them at it above head: the men cried, the dogs cried, for they were thrown from one end of the room to the other, and thus this last night was ended, and I was glad I had no more hurt among them.  
Your loving Friend Henry Lovel.  
AFter my coming to Dublin a friend of mine  told me that he came from this Castle, and that Mr. Fitz Garret and he playing at Tables late, sent the Butler into the Seller for beer, but the Butler came running up again, and  told his Master that Gibbaloney the great devil was sitting at the barrels head with a candle in his hand taking Tobacco, and another came running out of his chamber in his shirt, and said that Gibbaloney the great devil had pulled him out of his bed, and tossed him up that he hit the feeling of the chamber, and as he fell down he caught him in his arms and threw him into bed again.  
FINIS.