My Friend Sir ROGER DE COVERLEY told me t'other Night, that he had
been reading my Paper upon _Westminster-Abbey_, in which, says he,
there are a great many ingenious Fancies. He told me at the same Time,
that he observed I had promised another Paper upon _the Tombs_, and
that he should be glad to go and see them with me, not having visited
them since he had read History. I could not at first imagine how this
came into the Knight's Head, till I recollected that he had been very
busy all last Summer upon _Baker's_ Chronicle, which he has quoted
several Times in his Disputes with Sir ANDREW FREEPORT since his last
coming to Town. Accordingly I promised to call upon him the next
Morning, that we might go together to the _Abbey_.
I found the Knight under his Butler's Hands, who always shaves him. He
was no sooner dressed, than he called for a Glass of the Widow
_Trueby's_ Water, which he told me he always drank before he went
abroad. He recommended to me a Dram of it at the same Time, with so
much Heartiness, that I could not forbear drinking it. As soon as I
had got it down I found it very unpalatable, upon which the Knight
observing that I had made several wry Faces, told me that he knew I
should not like it at first, but that it was the best Thing in the
World against the Stone or Gravel.
I could have wished indeed that he had acquainted me with the Virtues
of it sooner; but it was too late to complain, and I knew what he had
done was out of Good-will. Sir Roger told me further, that he looked
upon it to be very good for a Man whilst he staid in Town, to keep off
Infection, and that he got together a Quantity of it upon the first
News of the Sickness being at _Dantzick_: When of a sudden turning
short to one of his Servants, who stood behind him, he bid him call an
Hackney-Coach, and take Care it was an elderly Man that drove it.
He then resumed his Discourse upon Mrs. _Trueby's_ Water, telling me
that the Widow _Trueby_ was one who did more Good than all the Doctors
and Apothecaries in the County: That she distilled every poppy that
grew within five Miles of her, that she distributed her Water _gratis_
among all sorts of People; to which the Knight added, that she had a
very great Jointure, and that the whole Country would fain have it a
Match between him and her; and truly, says Sir Roger, if I had not
been engaged, perhaps I could not have done better.
His Discourse was broken off by his Man's telling him he had called a
Coach. Upon our going to it, after having cast his Eye upon the
Wheels, he asked the Coachman if his Axle-tree was good; upon the
Fellow's telling him he would warrant it, the Knight turned to me,
told me he looked like an honest Man, and went in without further
Ceremony.
We had not gone far, when Sir Roger popping out his Head, called the
Coachman down from his Box, and upon his presenting himself at the
Window, asked him if he smoaked; as I was considering what this would
end in, he bid him stop by the Way at any good Tobacconist's, and take
in a Roll of their best _Virginia_. Nothing material happen'd in the
remaining Part of our Journey, till we were set down at the West-End
of the _Abbey_.
As we went up the Body of the Church, the Knight pointed at the
Trophies upon one of the new Monuments, and cry'd out, A brave Man I
warrant him. Passing afterwards by Sir _Cloudsly Shovel_, he flung his
Hand that Way, and cry'd Sir _Cloudsly Shovel!_ a very gallant Man! As
we stood before _Busby's_ Tomb, the Knight utter'd himself again after
the same Manner, Dr. _Busby_, a great Man, he whipp'd my Grandfather,
a very great Man. I should have gone to him my self, if I had not been
a Blockhead, a very great Man!
We were immediately conducted into the little Chappel on the Right
Hand. Sir Roger planting himself at our Historian's Elbow, was very
attentive to every Thing he said, particularly to the Account he gave
us of the Lord who had cut off the King of _Morocco's_ Head. Among
several other Figures, he was very pleased to see the Statesman
_Cecil_ upon his Knees; and, concluding them all to be great Men, was
conducted to the Figure which represents that Martyr to good
Housewifry, who died by the Prick of a Needle. Upon our Interpreter's
telling us, that she was a Maid of Honour to Queen _Elizabeth_, the
Knight was very inquisitive into her Name and Family, and, after
having regarded her Finger for some Time, I wonder, says he, that Sir
_Richard Baker_ has said Nothing of her in his Chronicle.
We were then convey'd to the two Coronation Chairs, where my old
Friend, after having heard that the Stone underneath the most ancient
of them, which was brought from _Scotland_, was called _Jacob's
Pillar_, sat himself down in the Chair, and looking like the Figure of
an old _Gothic_ King, asked our Interpreter, What authority they had
to say, that _Jacob_ had ever been in _Scotland_? The Fellow, instead
of returning him an Answer, told him, that he hoped his Honour would
pay his Forfeit. I could observe Sir Roger a little ruffled upon being
thus trapanned; but our Guide not insisting upon his Demand, the
Knight soon recovered his good Humour, and whispered in my Ear, that
if WILL. WIMBLE were with us, and saw those two Chairs, it would go
hard but he would get a Tobacco-Stopper out of one or t'other of them.
Sir Roger, in the next Place, laid his Hand upon _Edward_ III's Sword,
and leaning upon the Pommel of it, gave us the whole History of the
_Black Prince_; concluding, that in Sir _Richard Baker's_ Opinion,
_Edward_ the Third was one of the greatest Princes that ever sate upon
the _English_ Throne.
We were then shewn _Edward_ the Confessor's Tomb; upon which Sir Roger
acquainted us, that he was the first who touched for the Evil; and
afterwards _Henry_ the Fourth's, upon which he shook his Head, and
told us, there was fine Reading in the Casualties of that Reign.
Our Conductor then pointed to that Monument, where there is the Figure
of one of our _English_ Kings without an Head; and upon giving us to
know, that the Head, which was of beaten Silver, had been stolen away
several Years since: Some Whig, I warrant you, says Sir Roger; You
ought to lock up your Kings better: They will carry off the Body too,
if you don't take Care.
The glorious Names of _Henry_ the Fifth and Queen _Elizabeth_ gave the
Knight great Opportunities of shining, and of doing Justice to Sir
_Richard Baker_, who, as our Knight observed with some surprize, had a
great many Kings in him, whose Monuments he had not seen in the Abbey.
For my own Part, I could not but be pleased to see the Knight shew
such an honest Passion for the Glory of his Country, and such a
respectful Gratitude to the Memory of its Princes.
I must not omit, that the Benevolence of my good old Friend, which
flows out towards every one he converses with, made him very kind to
our Interpreter, whom he looked upon as an extraordinary Man; for
which Reason he shook him by the Hand at Parting, telling him, that he
should be very glad to see him at his Lodgings in _Norfolk-Buildings_,
and talk over these Matters with him more at Leisure.
_Addison._