Other interesting facts emerged from their writings: between them, three of Thomas Webbe's sons, namely Henry, William and Richard, fathered twenty-seven children. Was it surprising, therefore, I wondered, that Millicent and Robert Webbe so frequently became confused when asked about their family? I also worked out that if this information was correct, there were at least thirty Webbes all living on one site in two houses. It also meant that over the years Robert Webbe must have had twenty-six cousins! I began to wonder what so many Webbes could have done for a living-obviously they were not all country gentlemen. But I knew already that Phillip was a shoemaker.

I asked Millicent what her father's occupation was.

'Pigs and some gotes and some grain,' she replied.

'What does he do with his animals and the grain?'

'They are solde. Richard sells in shoppe.'

If she was to be believed, it seemed that the two brothers were in business together. Henry farmed, and Richard sold the produce. Robert Webbe presumably took over his father's business later on, which makes sense because he had described his occupation as a 'trader of grain'-a corn merchant.

During this time I had been surprised at the intelligence of Millicent, especially compared to Robert, and at her clear handwriting, which again was a contrast with Robert's. One day I asked her where she had learned to read and write, since she appeared to be educated.

'Mr. Thomas Punter and late none,' she replied.

I had heard of Thomas Punter's name before, and his signature was on the wall, dated 1666, and signed with a cross. In Linton Parish Church is a board containing all the names of the past Vicars of Linton. From that I discovered that Punter was Vicar of Linton from 1649 to 1660, and then again from 1663 to 1685.

After several weeks it seemed as if Millicent was a reservoir which I had emptied. I could now sit for long periods of time trying to get her to write automatically, but with no success. She seemed to have gone, although we never had prayers said for her as she had requested. I had noticed, though, that I had never had another disturbed night while sleeping in my bedroom, since I had communicated with her.

Before she emerged, or rather before I became aware of her, I had noticed that Robert Webbe had become very inactive, almost as if he had been eclipsed by another planet. I now think that he was aware of Millicent, and he was jealous of her because he wanted all the attention. As soon as Millicent faded, he returned with a final vengeance.

I was sad to have lost Millicent, although we never really treated her in the same way as we had treated Robert. We never regarded her as a 'person', more of a harmless ghost, which was after all what she was. She was a source of coherent information. Robert Webbe had always been, and remained, erratic, even at the best of times.

Robert Webbe was interesting because he was unpredictable-almost like a bull who would snort and charge if he saw red.