Ge. But I think you ought to take care that the Distemper don’t grow upon you.

Li. It has grown too much upon me already.

Ge. Is it a Dropsy?

Li. They say it is not.

Ge. Is it a Dissentery?

Li. I think not.

Ge. Is it a Fever?

Li. I believe it is a Kind of Fever; but a new one, as ever and anon new ones spring up that were unknown before.

Ge. There were more old ones than enough before.

Li. Thus it pleases Nature to deal with us, which is a little too severe.

Ge. How often does the Fit come?

Li. How often do you say?  Every Day, nay every Hour indeed.

Ge. O wonderful!  It is a sad Affliction.  How did you get this Distemper?  How do you think you came by it?

Li. By Reason of Want.

Ge. Why you don’t use to be so superstitious as to starve yourself with Fasting.

Li. It is not Bigotry but Penury.

Ge. What do you mean by Penury?

Li. I mean I could get no Victuals, I believe it came by a Cold.  I fancy I got the Distemper by eating rotten Eggs.  By drinking too much Water in my Wine.  This Crudity in my Stomach came by eating green Apples.

Ge. But consider whether you han’t contracted this Distemper by long and late Studying, by hard Drinking, or immoderate use of Venery?  Why don’t you send for a Doctor?

Li. I am afraid he should do me more Harm than good.  I am afraid he should poison me instead of curing me.

Ge. You ought to chuse one that you can confide in.

Li. If I must dye, I had rather dye once for all, than to be tormented with so many Slops.

Ge. Well then, be your own Doctor.  If you can’t trust to a Doctor, pray God be your Physician.  There have been some that have recover’d their Health, by putting on a Dominican or a Franciscan Fryars Cowl.

Li. And perhaps it had been the same Thing, if they had put on a Whore-master’s Cloak.  These things have no Effect upon those that have no Faith in ’em.

Ge. Why then, believe that you may recover.  Some have been cur’d by making Vows to a Saint.

Li. But I have no Dealings with Saints.

Ge. Then pray to Christ that you may have Faith, and that he would be pleased to bestow the Blessing of Health upon you.

Li. I can’t tell whether it would be a Blessing or no.

Ge. Why, is it not a Blessing to be freed from a Distemper?

Li. Sometimes it is better to dye.  I ask nothing of him, but only that he’d give me what would be best for me.

Ge. Take something to purge you.

Li. I am laxative enough already.

Ge. Take something to make you go to Stool.  You must take a Purge.