Chap. XVIII.
Of a Doctor made at a Commencement in New Canaan.[498]
The Church of Plimmouth, having due regard to the weale publike and the Brethren that were to come over, and knowing that they would be busily imployed to make provision for the cure of Soules, and therefore might neglect the body for that time, did hold themselves to be in duety bound to make search for a fitting man, that might be able, (if so neede requir’d,) to take the chardge upon him in that place of imployment: and therefore called a Counsell of the A Councell called. whole Synagoge: amongst which company, they chose out a man that long time had bin nurst up in the tender bosome of the Church: one that had {152} speciall gifts: hee could wright and reade; nay, more: hee had tane the oath of abjuration, which is a speciall stepp, yea, and a maine degree unto perferment. Him they weane, and out of Phaos boxe[499] fitt him with speciall guifts of no lesse worth: they stile him Doctor, and forth they send him to gaine imployement and opinion.
What luck is it I cannot hit on his name: but I will give you him by a periphrasis, that you may know him when you meete him next.
Hee was borne at Wrington, in the County of Somerset, where hee was bred a Butcher. Hee weares a longe beard, and a Garment like the Greeke that beggd in Pauls Church.[500] This new made Doctor, comes to Salem to congratulate:[501] where hee findes some are newly come from Sea, and ill at ease.
He takes the patient, and the urinall: eies the State there; finds the Crasis Syptomes, and the attomi natantes: and tells the patient that his disease was winde, which hee had tane by gapeing feasting over board[502] at Sea; but hee would quickly ease him of that greife, and quite expell the winde. And this hee did performe, with his gifts hee had: and then hee handled the patient so handsomely, that hee eased him of all the winde hee had in an instant.
And yet I hope this man may be forgiven, if hee were made a fitting Plant for Heaven.
How hee went to worke with his gifts is a question; yet hee did a great cure for Captaine Littleworth, hee cured him of a disease called a wife:[503] and yet I hope this man may be forgiven, if shee were made a fitting plant for heaven.
{153} By this meanes hee was allowed 4. p. a moneth, and the chirgeon’s chest, and made Phisition generall of Salem: where hee exercised his gifts so well, that of full 42. that there hee tooke to cure, there is not one has more cause to complaine, or can say black’s his eie. This saved Captaine Littleworths credit, that had truck’d away the vittels: though it brought forth a scandall on the Country by it: and then I hope this man may be forgiven, if they were all made fitting plants for Heaven.
But in mine opinion, hee deserves to be set upon a palfrey and lead up and downe in triumph throw new Canaan, with a coller of Iurdans about his neck, as was one of like desert in Richard the seconds time through the streets of London, that men might know where to finde a Quacksaluer.[504]