'
He was no sooner removed out of hearing, than the baronet
abandoned himself to a violent fit of laughing, in which he was
joined by the greatest part of the company; but we could hardly
prevent the good lady from going to undeceive the patient, by
discovering, that while he slept his waistcoat had been
straitened by the contrivance of the surgeon; and that the
disorder in his stomach and bowels was occasioned by some
antimonial wine, which he had taken over night, under the
denomination of plague-water. She seemed to think that his
apprehension might put an end to his life: the knight swore he
was no such chicken, but a tough old rogue, that would live long
enough to plague all his neighbours. -- Upon enquiry, we found his
character did not intitle him to much compassion or respect, and
therefore we let our landlord's humour take its course. -- A
glyster was actually administered by an old woman of the family,
who had been Sir Thomas's nurse, and the patient took a draught
made with oxymel of squills to forward the operation of the
antimonial wine, which had been retarded by the opiate of the
preceding night. He was visited by the vicar, who read prayers,
and began to take an account of the state of his soul, when those
medicines produced their effect; so that the parson was obliged
to hold his nose while he poured forth spiritual consolation from
his mouth.
Pages:
531
532
533
534
535
536
537
538
539
540
541
542
543
544
545
546
547
548
549
550
551
552
553
554
555