Now! Then! A hubristic Sam Mitchell impersonates a gypsy in a Halifax pub, and nemesis follows

11 April 1667: A hubristic Sam Mitchell impersonates a gypsy in a Halifax pub, and nemesis follows

Oliver Heywood. 1883. The Rev. Oliver Heywood, B.A., 1630-1702, Vol. 3/4. Ed. J. Horsfall Turner. Bingley: T. Harrison. Get it:

Excerpt

There was one Samuel Mitchell drinking in Halifax at Mr Wade’s. There came a man and woman to Mr Wade desiring him to tell them where to find something they had lost, for they took him for a conjurer. He said he could not tell but he had an Egyptian in the house that could. They together came to Sam Mitchell, he blubbered so that nobody could tell what he said, but Wade was his interpreter, and gave them instructions about the lost thing. They were satisfied and gave him three shillings for his pains. They drunk that merrily, but upon Monday after this Mitchell died, and was buried upon Wednesday, and a thousand to one he had died at a whore’s house that he frequented, for having been at one, and called to see another, she not being within, he came home and died presently after. He threatened his wife the day before he died that if she went not to Wakefield and swore that the inventory was less of her former husband’s goods he would kill her – but God took him away.

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To facilitate reading, the spelling and punctuation of elderly excerpts have generally been modernised, and distracting excision scars concealed. My selections, translations, and editions are copyright.

Abbreviations

Comment

Can someone explain the last sentence to me? Conspiracy theorists may speculate that Wade poisoned Mitchell to conceal their deception.

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Original

There was one Samuel Mitchell drinking in Halifax, April 11, 1667 at Mr Wade’s. There came a man and woman to Mr Wade desiring him to tell them where to find something they had lost, for they took him for a conjurer. He said he could not tell but he had an Egyptian in the house that could. They together came to Sam Mitchell, he blubbered [so] that nobody could tell what he said, [but] Wade was his interpreter, and gave them instructions about the lost thing. They were satisfied and gave him three shillings for his pains. They drunk that merrily, but upon Monday after this Mitchell died, and was buried upon Wednesday, and a thousand to one he had died at a whore’s house that he frequented, for having been at one, and called to see another, she not being within, he came home and died presently after. He threatened his wife (as tis said) the day before he died that if she went not to wak. [Wakefield?] and swore that the inventory was less of her former husband’s goods he would kill her – but god took him away.

194 words.