A while after, there came up all in fashion a pretty sort of
flame-coloured satin {77b} for linings, and the mercer brought a pattern
of it immediately to our three gentlemen. “An please your worships,”
said he, “my Lord C— and Sir J. W. had linings out of this very piece
last night; it takes wonderfully, and I shall not have a remnant left
enough to make my wife a pin-cushion by to-morrow morning at ten
o’clock.” Upon this they fell again to rummage the will, because the
present case also required a positive precept, the lining being held by
orthodox writers to be of the essence of the coat. After long search
they could fix upon nothing to the matter in hand, except a short advice
in their father’s will to take care of fire and put out their candles
before they went to sleep {78a}. This, though a good deal for the
purpose, and helping very far towards self-conviction, yet not seeming
wholly of force to establish a command, and being resolved to avoid
farther scruple, as well as future occasion for scandal, says he that was
the scholar, “I remember to have read in wills of a codicil annexed,
which is indeed a part of the will, and what it contains hath equal
authority with the rest. Now I have been considering of this same will
here before us, and I cannot reckon it to be complete for want of such a
codicil. I will therefore fasten one in its proper place very
dexterously. I have had it by me some time; it was written by a
dog-keeper of my grandfather’s, and talks a great deal, as good luck
would have it, of this very flame-coloured satin.” The project was
immediately approved by the other two; an old parchment scroll was tagged
on according to art, in the form of a codicil annexed, and the satin
bought and worn.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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