Of my Incarceration in the Jug
the Church to exorcise the evil spirit.” And he stalked about the Yard among the prisoners, holding his head high.
Things now fell out as I had plotted, for, sure enough, the Ordinary made his appearance in the evening with a mouth full of admonitions and prayers. He was now deeper than ever in wine, having, as I supposed, spent the better part of the day in celebrating his spiritual triumph. He wore a great air of patronage, and was extremely affable, standing with his lean legs well apart, in order for to keep his feet, and poking a bent forefinger at me to emphasise his instructions.
“Ryder,” says he, “I fear that you are a rogue, a devilish rogue. By the tokens of the law, discovered in His Gracious Majesty’s Courts, you have taken the blood of man, and whoso sheddeth man’s blood by man shall his blood be shed. There is a solemn word for your comfortable consideration. When I am gone, and, my orisons discharged, I am retired to the innocent sleep of a child, think upon it with tears and sighs and bitter mortifyings of
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