Page:The Works of the Rev. Jonathan Swift, Volume 17.djvu/222

216 Mrs. B. I hope you examined a little into this matter.

J. B. I did, indeed, and discovered a great mystery of iniquity. The witnesses made oath, That they had heard some of the liverymen frequently railing at their mistress. "They said, she was a troublesome, fiddlefaddle old woman, and so ceremonious, that there was no bearing of her. They were so plagued with bowing and cringeing as they went in and out of the room, that their backs ached. She used to scold at one for his dirty shoes, at another for his greasy hair, and not combing his head: that she was so passionate and fiery in her temper, that there was no living with her; she wanted something to sweeten her blood: that they never had a quiet night's rest, for getting up in the morning to early sacraments; they wished they could find some way or another to keep the old woman quiet in her bed." Such discourses were often overheard among the liverymen, while the said Yan Ptschirnsooker had undertaken this matter. A maid made affidavit, "That she had seen the said Yan Ptschirnsooker, one of the liverymen, frequently making up of medicines, and administering them to all the neighbours; that she saw him one morning make up the powder, which her mistress took; that she had the curiosity to ask him, whence he had the ingredients?" They come," says he, "from several parts of de world; dis I have from Geneva, dat from Rome, dis white powder from Amsterdam, and de red from Edinburgh; but de chief ingredient of all comes from Turkey." It was likewise