English literature -- Early modern, 1500-1700; English wit and humor; Great Britain -- Civilization -- 17th century -- Literary collections
[52.] In Gloucestershire dwelt one that cured frantick men in this
manner; when the fit was on them he would put them in a gutter of
water, some to the knees, some to the middle, and some to the neck, as
the disease was on them. So one that was well amended, standing at
the gate, by chance a Gentleman came riding by with his Hawks and his
Hounds. The mad fellow called him, and said, Gentleman, whether go
you? On hunting (quoth the Gentleman.) What do you with all those
Kites and Dogs? They be Hawks and Hounds, quoth the Gentleman.
Wherefore keep you them? (quoth the other). Why, (quoth he) for my
pleasure. What do they cost you a yeare to keepe them? Forty pounds
(quoth the Gentleman) And what do they profit you? (quoth he) Some ten
pounds (quoth the Gentleman) Get thee quickly hence, quoth the fellow,
for if my Master finde thee here, he will put thee into the gutter up
to the throat.
The next illustration is a scathing satire on the treatment of the
army in Ireland. Perhaps the tersest notice of the history of this
time is in _The Chronological Historian_, by W. Toone. "16 Feb. 1646.
The Parliament sent a Committee to form the Army for Ireland.--The
Commissioners found the Army not inclined to obey them."
The humble Petition of us the Parliaments poore Souldiers in
the Army of Ireland, whereof many are starved already, and
many dead for want of Chirurgions.
[Illustration]
[95.] That we the poor distressed Souldiery under the Parliaments
Service in Ireland, having heretofore served the Parliament under the
Lord Generall Essex, Valiant Massey, and noble Sir William Waller, and
the rest, &c, did in all faithfulnesse, hardship and desperate service
as ever any, hazzard our lives and fortunes, and did according to
order obey and disband, then not so much as doubting of all our
Arreares, and now have almost served you two years in all integrity
and faithfulnesse both Winter and Summer, wet and dry, frost and Snow,
having no other bedding than the bare ground for our beds, and the
skies for their covering, and when dry in the day and night, no other
signe to drink at but the Sun and Moone, and nothing but water, having
no plenty, but cold backs, hungrie bellies, and puddle water, and when
sore wounded, not a Surgeon to dresse us, or if a Surgeon, no chest,
nor salve, nor oyntments; and for bread many times not a loafe of two
pence under sixpence, and rotten Cheese sent, not fit for a dog, and
for butter, it went from London to Dover, and mistook Dublin and went
to Dunkirk, and for our new Cloathes all made of the French fashion,
and being too little for any of us, were carried to France to cloath
them, hardly hats to our heads but what our haire growes through, and
neither hose or shooes, doublet or breeches, tearing our Snapsacks to
patch a hole to hide our naked and starved flesh, and our swords naked
for want of scabberds: Thus with our backs without cloaths and our
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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