Page:The Works of the Rev. Jonathan Swift, Volume 17.djvu/245

Rh another. "Why don't you go, and cut the poor fellow down? Why don't you? And why don't you?" "Not I," quoth one; "Not I," quoth another; "Not I," quoth a third; "he may hang 'till doomsday before I relieve him." Nay, it is credibly reported, that they were so far from succouring their poor friend in this his dismal circumstance, that Ptschirnsooker and several of his companions went in and pulled him by the legs, and thumped him on the breast. Then they began to rail at him for the very thing, which they had advised and justified before, viz, his getting into the old gentlewoman's family, and putting on her livery. The keeper, who performed the last office, coming up, found Jack swinging with no life in him; he took down the body gently, and laid it on a bulk, and brought out the rope to the company. "This, gentlemen, is the rope that hanged Jack: what must be done with it?" Upon which they ordered it to be laid among the curiosities of Gresham College, and it is called Jack's rope to this very day. However, Jack after all had some small tokens of life in him, but lies at this time past hope of a total recovery, with his head hanging on one shoulder, without speech or motion. The coroner's inquest supposing him to be dead, brought him in Non Compos. CHAP.