46 LIFE OF ARCIIRISHOP SHARP. 



yet he bore his share of duty with them, even 

 among the poor in the garrets and the cellars; 

 and would never refuse his attendance when 

 particularly sent for, though his compliance 

 herein put him sometimes in hazard of his life. 

 He never had the small-pox, yet being brought 

 in to persons under that distemper, he hath not 

 through fear or surprize desisted from doing his 

 office ; and as he had the general character, not 

 only of a pious man, but a good casuist, he had 

 sometimes more business of this kind upon his 

 hand, than what arose immediately from his 

 own parish. And once, when he was called out 

 by two unknown gentlemen, to an unknown 

 place, on pretence of visiting their dying friend, 

 and not without suspicions of some treacherous 

 design upon himself, (for it was at a particular 

 time in King James's reign, when he had grounds 

 for such a distrust,) nevertheless, he ventured 

 with them, only taking with him the guard of a 

 servant, which was not usual with him, and 

 ordering him to stand in the street before the 

 house whither he was carried, and not to stir 

 from thence upon any account whatsoever, till 

 he saw him out of the house again. This, in- 

 deed, was Mrs. Sharp's advice and precaution. 

 And it had this effect, that when the design of 

 the servant's attendance in the street was ob- 

 served, by his utterly refusing to enter the 



