AT Basing-Stoke ( a place sufficiently known , by reason of the battle at Basing-House ) in the County of Southampton , their Lives one Mr. Blunden , a Man of considerable repute in that Town , being one that drives a great Trade in Malt , &c. His Wife was a woman whom I shall not attempt to Characterize , because she was utterly a stranger to me , onely thus far I may adventure to describe her person , that she was a fat gross woman , and had accustomed her self many times to Drink Brandy . One Evening above the rest finding her self somewhat indisposed , she sent her Maid to an Apothecaries in the Town for a quantity of Poppy-water , whether by the Direction of a Physitian , or out of her own head ( as we say ) I know not : but she drank so great a Quantity of it , that she presently fell into a deep sleep , insomuch that all the people about her concluded her Dead , there being nor the least palpitation of the heart , motion of the pulses , breathings at her Mouth or Nose , nor any sensible warmth to be discerned in the whole body . The Apothecary was immediately sent for , who by surveying the remainer of the Poppy-water , gave a guess at what she had taken , and concluded she would not recover her sences in eight and forty hours at least , and therefore he supposed never ; From these words of the Apothecary's they concluded her stark Dead , and that night-laid her out , and though one of the persons employed about her observed that when she made any impression on her face the blood seemed to follow her finger , and by a kind of blush in her cheeks to be ashamed of their inhumanity ; yet such was either their hast or their stupidity , that they took little or no notice of it : Her Husband being then from home was sent to , and acquainted with the suddainness of the disaster , who was much surprized thereat , but having suddain and urgent business to London , and withall considering his grief at home would do his wife no more good than at a distance , be resolved on his Journey , and the rather for the convenience of buying Mourning for himself and Family , giving order nevertheless at his departure , that the Funeral should be defer'd rill his return , which he resolved on the Saturday following , this being Tuesday the 29th . of July , 1674. He was no sooner gone but his Wives relations , to whom the management of things were committed , began to consider that it was a great while to Saturday , and that the season of the year being hot , and the Corps fat it would be impossible to keep her , and thereupon resolved to bury her the morrow , which accordingly they did , though many people admired they would commit a person to the earth before they were fully satisfied she was Dead , especially in her Husbands absence , and contrary to his order . However it being none of their business , they offered nothing against , so that on the morrow all things being ready for the Funeral ( but the woman her self ) away they carried her to Church , and the Coffin being set down on two stools ( as the manner of that Country is ) one of the Bearers perceived both the Coffin and the stooles to stir , and was so unseasonably merry , thereat as to whisper to his Neighbour , and tell him that they had made Mistris Blunden's Coffin so short that she c●uld not lie easie , for be plainly saw her stir . To which the other replyed that if there were any motion it proceeded either from the weakness of the stools , or the crowds of people that Jogg'd them , and so there was no farther notice taken , but after the usual ceremonies of the Church she was committed to the earth : The Friday following toward the Evening some of the Schollars of the Town being at play in the Church Yard near her Grave , they fancied they heard a kind of hollow voice , as it were under ground , to which laying their ears , and listning more attentively , they plainly heard somebody say .

Which words the complaining voice repeated several times , intermixing them with fearful groans , and dismal shriekings . The Boyes wonderfully terrified hereat ran away , and told several persons what they had heard ; but the Relations were so unauthentick , and the story so improbable , that it was by all either slighted as childish , or reproved as fabulous , but still they affirmed it so stedfastly , that on the next Day being Saturday it came to the School-Masters ear , who immediately reproved some , and chastified others for raising such reports .

Whereupon the Boys being much incensed at their unjust Correction , went again the Saturday-noon to Mrs. Blundens Grave , and not without some fear laying their earr to the ground , as formerly , they again heard the same words reiterated , if not with so distinct yet with a louder accent .

Hereat emboldened with truth and childish rage , they went again and testified what they had formerly asserted .

He somewhat startled hereat , began to consider of some passages and circumstance that were discoursed of in the Town , both at the time of her death , and her Funeral , and went presently to the place , and by the direction of one of the boys , laying his ear to the ground , he was presently confirmed in the truth of all they had asserted , though the voice then seemed very faint and languishing : Wherefore he would immediately have persuaded the Clark to have digged up the grave , but he replyed he durst not do it without Authority , so that before they could get Minister and Church-Wardens together to consult about it , the afternoon was almost spent , but at last the grave being opened , and the Coffin , which they had no sooner done , but the Corps puffed up , as it had been a bladder , for the Joyner had made the Coffin so short , that they were fain to press upon her , and keep her down with a stick while they nailed her up .

And now surveying her body , they found it most lamentably beaten , which they concluded to proceed from the violence she did her self in that deplorable an astonishment , but upon the most diligent scrutiny they could not apprehend that she had the least breath of life remaining , and therefore they again let her down into the Grave , intending on the morrow to send to the Corroner , whom they thought necessary to acquaint with such an accident , in the mean time laying a charge on some persons diligently to watch her that night , they left her . But the night being unseasonably wet , and now all hopes of her second recovery being past , 't is believed those who were appointed to that office left her , for on the morrow morning at their return to the grave , they found she had torn off great part of her Winding sheet , scratched her self first in several places , and beaten her mouth so long , till it was all in gore blood .

This second neglect moved the hearts of all that heard of it , especially those that were concerned in the first Discovery , and the Coroner when he came to sit upon her , found by all circumstances that her Life was clearly thrown away , and therefore bound over several persons concerned therein , to answer it at the next Assizes ; where some were Indicted as the Authors of her beath , by their over-hasty burying of h●r : and it would have gone very hard with them , but that a Physitian in the Town gave it upon oath , that when the Woman deceased , and was in her trance , he applyed a Looking-glass to her mouth a considerable ●ime , and yet could not discern the least breach to come from her ; a tryal he had often experienced , and was never before deceived in , so that they all escaped with their Lives , but onely the Town had a considerable fine set upon them for their neglect .