Page:Newes from the Dead.djvu/18

 sooner was her arme bound for that purpose, but she suddenly bent it, as if it had been contracted by a fit of the Convulsion: the veine being opened, shee bled about five ounces, and that so freely that it could not easily be stopped. All this while her pulse was very low, but otherwise not much amisse. Her arm being bound up again, and now and then a little cordial water powr'd down her throat, they continued rubbing her in several places, caused Ligatures to be made in her armes and leggs, and then ordered her to be laid in a bed well warmed: then they caused her neck, and also her temples to be anointed with confortative oyles and spirits, and so likewise the bottoms of her feet, and upon this shee beganne to open her eies and to move the lower parts of her body. About this time came in Mr Bathurst of Trinity Colledge, and Mr Clerke of Magdalen Colledge, whose advice and endeavours were then and all the time afterwards concurrent with those of the other two above mentioned. Then they applyed a plaister to her breasts, and ordered an heating odoriferous Clyster to be cast up in her body, to give heat and warmth to her bowels: after that, they perswaded a woman to goe into bed to her, and to lye very close to her, and gently to keep rubbing of her. After all which shee seemd about noon to be in a sweat. Her face also began somewhat to swell and to look very red on that side on which the knot of the halter had been fastned.

Whilst the Physicians were thus busie in recovering her to life, the Undersheriffe was solliciting the Governour and the rest of the Justices of Peace for the obtaining her Reprieve, that in case she should for that present be recovered fully to life, shee might not be had backe again to Execution. Whereapon those worthy Gentlemen, considering what had happened, weighing all circumstances, they readily apprehended the hand of God in her preservation, and being willing rather to co-operate with divine providence in saving her, then to overstrain justice by condemning her to double shame and sufferings, they were pleas'd to grant her a Reprieve untill such time as her Pardon might be compleatly obtained.

All this while she had no sooner opened her eyes, but presently she shut them again, and being call'd upon to try whether she could hear or speak, there appeared no sign that she could do either. Soon after, they made tryal again: bidding her, if she understood them, to move her hand, or open her eies. Whereupon she obscurely opened her eyes.