CURE BY YE TOUCH. 



ASSUME that, in the present year of grace 1870, her most 

 gracious Majesty Victoria should cause the following an- 

 nouncement to go forth : 



6 Whereas, agreeable* to representations duly made by her 

 Majesty's officers of health by law ordained and appointed, 

 there be divers persons of both sexes in these her Majesty's 

 realms afflicted with the malady known as scrofula, or king's 

 evil, and to whom physic and chirurgery give no relief : 



' Whereas, furthermore, it hath been testified by divines, 

 physicians, chirurgeons, and divers other learned men, that 

 the power of curing the aforesaid disease, by stroking with 

 the royal hand, hath been given to sovereigns of this realm 

 from Edward the Confessor downwards : 



6 Therefore, by the advice of her Majesty's lords spiritual 

 and temporal in council assembled, it is ordained, that hence- 

 forth and until farther notice, such of her Majesty's subjects 

 as be stricken of the disease, and long for cure through the 

 imposition of royal hands, shall repair to Buckingham Pal- 

 ace at 10 of the clock on the first Monday of every month, 

 and be holpen accordingly. 



' Given under our hand and seal this blank day of blank 

 month,' &c. 



Assume, I say, a proclamation of the sort to have gone 

 forth ; then contemplate the probable reception of it. First, 

 in respect of the candidates themselves, individuals stricken 

 of scrofula or king's evil ; I have no doubt they would be 



* ' Agreeable,' not ' agreeably,' let the reader be assured, is civil-service 

 Queen's English, as by authority decreed and by precedent consecrated. 



