48 THE AUTOIUOGRAPHY OF LEONARD WHEATCROFT. 



The service is printed in Sparrow's Collections of 1685 at 

 p. 165. 



Two Gospels were used — the first S. Mark xvi. 14. During 

 the reading of this the King laid his hands on those pre- 

 sented (kneeling) at the words, " They shall lay hands on the 

 sick and they shall recover." 



During the reading of the second Gospel taken from S. 

 John chap. i. i, at the words " That Light was the true 

 Light," &c., the afflicted were again presented unto the King 

 upon their knees, and the King " put his gold " about their 

 necks.* Then followed the lesser Litany, Pater Noster and 

 certain versicles, followed by " O Almighty God, who art the 

 Giver of all health, and the Aid of them that seek to Thee 

 for succour, we call upon Thee for Thy help and goodness 

 mercifully to be shewed unto these Thy servants, that they 

 being healed of their infirmity may give thanks unto Thee in 

 Thy Holy Church through," &c., &c. -'The grace," &c.] 



" And when David was com hom, he and I went to see my 

 sister Sarah at Shottle where she dwelt ; and by the way a 

 woman tould us how shee was cured of that disease : and after 

 she was cured she was wed, and had 4 children, and never a 

 one of them ever had that distemper. I saw the great scars 

 that was upon her neck and throte. Her receit was as 

 followeth : — 



"That a man might go to a dead woman or a woman to a dead 

 man (as shee did) and with their dead hand touch all their affected 

 or sore places, saying these words " He that send thee, I pray 

 God mend thee." That must be done, and (these words) said 

 Q times over — which he (David) did Dec. 26, 1687. 



* A coin placed in a little pouch and hung round the neck. Dr. Daines 

 Barrington tells us of an old man who was witness in a cause, and averred that 

 when Queen Anne was at Oxford she touched him whilst a child for the Evil. 

 Mr. Barrington when he had finished his evidence asked him whether he was 

 really cured. Upon which he answered, with a significant smile, that he 

 believed himself never to have had a complaint that deserved to be considered 

 as the Evil, but that his parents were poor — ami had no ohjection to the lit of 

 gold. 



