The 1816 Rothbury Bible Census
Thropton:
Page 83. Ann TURNBULL aged seventy-four is married to George TURNBULL, the Butcher. She goes to the Meeting though she says she has an aversion to the Church but at her age it is too far. She has one Testament and two Bibles, one of which one met a most extraordinary adventure. Her Husband, who is since dead, had taken a farm at Bornowtown but scarcely had they settled themselves in their new abode before a strange persecution was commenced by some invisible elf who broke all their things and threw about all their furniture in their presence, before their eyes, in open daylight without any apparent cause. the fame of this marvellous mystery was soon noised abroad and multitudes flocked to Bornowtown to witness the pranks of their mischevous eprite, among a
Page 84. Presbyterian Minister who observing a Bible upon on of the shelves asked weather the demon had ever made free with that book. the old woman answered that she believed it was the only thing in the house which never had been moved. She had scarcely done speaking when she beheld the Bible leave its shelf and with and even motion throw itself at the Ministers feet, half across the room. She ran to catch it in its passage but was too late. The chains were often dropped upon her from the air, but though everything that was -----?------- was broken, she herself was never hurt. She suspected infernal agency but feared no harm to herself, which she was confident would not be permitted by the Govenor of the Universe, but the immediate agent was supposed to be the last tenant of the farm who was then in the house and the persecution ceased at his departure.
Total: 1 Person, 2 Bibles, 1 Testament
