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The Works of the Right Honorable Joseph Addison
The Works of the Right Honorable Joseph Addison Author:Joseph Addison Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: No. 259—TUESDAY, December 5, 1710. Vexat Centura calumbas. A Continuation of the Journal of the Court of Honour, held in Sheer-Lane on Monday, the 27th of ... more »November, before Isaac Bickerstaffe, Esq. Censor of Great-Britain. Elizabeth Makebate, of the parish of St. Catherine's, spinster, was indicted for surreptitiously taking away the hassock from under the Lady Grave- Airs, between the hours of four and five, on Sunday, the 26th of November. The prosecutor deposed, that as she stood up to make a curtsey to a person of quality in a neighbouring pew, the criminal conveyed away the hassock by stealth, insomuch that the prosecutor was obliged to sit all the while she was at ehurch, or to say her prayers in a posture that did not become a woman of her quality. The prisoner pleaded inadvertency ; and the jury were going to bring it in chance-medley, had not several witnesses been produced against the said Elizabeth Makebate, that she was an old offender, and a woman of a bad reputation. It appeared in particular, that on the Sunday before she had detracted from a new petticoat of Mrs. Mary Doelittle, having said in the hearing of several credible witnesses, that the said petticoat was scowered, to the great grief and detriment of the said Mary Doelittle. There were likewise many evidences produced against the criminal, that fhough she never failed to come to church on Sun- day, she was a most notorious Sabbath-breaker, and that she spent her whole time, during divine service, in disparaging other people's clothes, and whispering to those who sat next her. Upon the whole, she was found guilty of the indictment, and received sentence to ask pardon of the prosecutor upon her bare knees, without either cushion or hassock under her, in the face of the court. JV. B. As soon a...« less