Historic%20Yorkshire

DEATH OF THE DUKE OF BUCKINGHAM. 149
death in his looks at first sight, he would by no means
think of it. He told me he was on horseback but two
days before, and that he found himself so well at heart
that he was sure he could be in no danger ofhis life. He
toldme he had a mightydescent fallenuponhis abdomen,
with an inflammationand a great swelling,but he thought
by applying warm medicines the swelling wouldfall,and
then he would be at ease; butit proved otherwise, for a
mortification came on those low parts and rapidly
ascended, so that it soon occasioned his death. So soon
asIhad arrivedIsent to York for oneDr. Waler, for I
found him herein a most miserable condition; he desired
me to stay with him, whichIvery willingly obeyed. I
confess it made my heart bleed to see the Duke of
Buckinghamin so pitiful a place, and in so bad a condition;
and, whatmadeit worse,he was not at all sensible
of it, for he thought in a day or two he should be well;
and when we reminded him of his condition, he said it
was not as we apprehended. The doctors told me that
his case was desperate, and though he enjoyed the free
exercise of his senses, that in a day or two at most it
wouldkillhim; but they durst not tell him of it; so that
they put a hardpart upon me to pronounce death to him,
whichIsaw approaching so fast thatIthought it was
high time for him to think of another world, for it was
impossible for him to continue long in this; soIsent for
a very worthy gentleman, Mr. Gibson, a neighbour of his
Grace's, who lives but a mile from this place, to be an
assistant to me in this work; so we jointly represented
his condition to him, whoIsaw was at first very uneasy,
butIthink we should not have discharged the duty of
honest men, norIof afaithful kinsman,if we had suffered
him to go out of this worldwithout desiring him to prepare
for death,and to look into his conscience.
" After havingplainly toldhimhis condition,Iaskedhim
whoIshould send for to be assistant to him during the
small timehe had to live. He would make meno answer,
which made me conjecture, and having formerly heard