Page:Comical sayings of Pady from Cork, with his coat button'd behind (1).pdf/19

 PADY FROM CORK. 19

dead, as to pay for a doctor before I be ſick: to which he anſwered me in paſſion, ſirrah, ſaid he, I have ſeen many a better man buried without a coffin; ſir ſaid I, then I'll have a coffin, die when I will, if there be as much wood in all the world, or I ſhall not be buried at all. Then he called for the ſerjeant, ſaying, you ſir go and buy that man's coffin, and put it in the ſtore till he die and ſtop ſixpence a week of his pay for it. No, no, ſir ſaid I. I'll rather die without a coffin, and ſeek none when I'm dead, but if you be for clipping another ſixpence off my poor pay keep it all to yourſelf, and I'll ſwear all your oaths of agreement we had back again, and then ſeek ſoldiers where you will.

Tom. O then Pady how did you end the matter!

Teag. Arra dear ſhoy by the mights of ſhaint Patrick and help of my own brogs, I both ended it and mended it for the next night before that, I gave them leg bail for my fidelity, and then I went about the country a fortune teller, deaf and dum as I was not.

Tom. How old was you Pady, when you was a ſoldie laſt,

Teag. Arra, dear honey I was three dozen all but two, and it is only but two years ſince, ſo I wanted only four of three dozen yet and when I live ſix dozen more, I'll be older then I am. I'll warrant you.

Tom. O but Pady, by your account you are three dozen of years already.

Teag. O what a big fool are you, now Tom when you count the years I lay ſick; which time I count no time at all.

A NEW CATECHISM.

Tom. OF all the opinions profeſſed in religion, tell me now Pady, of what profeſſion art thou? Pady. Arra, dear ſhoy, my religion was too weighty a matter to carry out of my own country; I was afraid that you Engliſh Preſbyterians ſhould pluck it away from me.

Tom. What Pady, was your religion ſuch a load that you could not carry it along with you?