er her." Others suggested strong purging and letting of blood,
because she was plethoric. Some went so far as to say the old woman
was mad, and nothing would be better than a little corporal correction.
Ratcliff said, "Gentlemen, you are mistaken in this case; it is plainly
an acute distemper, and she cannot hold out three days unless she is
supported with strong cordials." I came into the room with a good deal
of concern, and asked them what they thought of my mother? "In no manner
of danger, I vow to God," quoth Garth; "the old woman is hysterical,
fanciful, sir, I vow to God." "I tell you, sir," says Ratcliff, "she
cannot live three days to an end, unless there is some very effectual
course taken with her; she has a malignant fever." Then "fool," "puppy,"
and "blockhead," were the best words they gave. I could hardly restrain
them from throwing the ink-bottles at one another's heads. I forgot to
tell you that one party of the physicians desired I would take my sister
Peg into the house to nurse her, but the old gentlewoman would not hear
of that. At last one physician asked if the lady had ever been used to
take laudanum? Her maid answered, not that she knew; but, indeed, there
was a High German liveryman of hers, one Van Ptschirnsooker,** that gave
her a sort of a quack powder. The physician desired to see it. "Nay,"
says he, "there is opium in this, I am sure."

* Garth, the Low Church party. Ratcliff, High Church party.

** Van Ptschirnsooker, a bishop at that time, a great dealer
in politics and physic.

MRS. BULL.--I hope you examined a little into this matter?

JOHN BULL.--I did, indeed, and discovered a great mystery of iniquity.
The witnesses made oath that they had heard some of the liverymen*
frequently railing at their mistress. They said she was a troublesome
fiddle-faddle old woman, and so ceremonious that there was no bearing of
her. They were so plagued with bowing and cringing as they went in and
out of the room that their backs ached. She used to scold at one for his
dirty shoes, at another for his greasy hair and not combing his head.
Then she was so passionate and fiery in her temper that there was no
living with her. She wanted something to sweeten her blood. That they
never had a quiet night's rest for getting up in the morning to early
Sacraments. They wished they could find some way or another to keep the
old woman quiet in her bed. Such discourses were often overheard among