Reliquiæ Baxterianæ, or, Mr. Richard Baxters narrative of the most memorable passages of his…

2. The second Mercy which I met with, was, that my Pains, though daily and almost continual did not very much disable me from my Duty; but I could Study, and Preach, and Walk almost as well if I had been free: (of which more anon).

At last falling into a sudden and great decay and debility, I went to Sir Theodore Mayerne, who kept me in a long Course of Physic, which did me some good for the present; and after that, riding much in the Army did me some good than any thing: But having one Symptom on me (the constant excoriation of my three foremost Fingers ends on both Hands to the raw flesh) he sent me to Tunbridge-Waters, where I staid three Weeks; and after that my Defluctions and Agitation of the Serous Matter, much increased, (though the Excoriation ceased at that time) and hastened my greater ruin. Especially one Error of his did me hurt: He vehemently persuaded me to the eating of Apples, which of all things in the World had ever been my most deadly Enemies; so that when it was too late, Dr. Mayerne perceived that though Acrimony disposed the matter, yet mere flatulency pumped up the Blood, and was the most immediate Cause of the Haemorrhage. Having taken cold with riding thin clothed in the Snow, and having but two days eaten Apples before Meat, as he persuaded me, I fell into such a bleeding as continued six days, with some fits of intermission; so that about a Gallon of Blood that we noted was lost, and what more I know not: Upon this both he and other Physicians gave me up as hopeless, through the weakness thereby occasioned, and concluding that all would end in a Dropsy, (for my Legs began to swell•): By a Friend's persuasion I wrote to Dr. George Bates, (Archiater to King Charles the Second as Sir Theodore Mayerne was to King Charles the First) who concurred so exactly in all points with Dr. Mayerne, as if they had consulted, (the Case and the Medicaments prescribed being unusual) that I marvelled at their Concord: and by both their Counsels (though neither of them had any considerable hope of my Life). I was necessitated, besides other Remedies, to be oft in purging, for all my weakness, to prevent a Dropsy. Within a quarter of a year I was able weakly to Preach again; but continued divers years in languishing Pains and Weaknesses, double or fourfold to what I had before: So that besides all my former Inmities, ever after this Bleeding my chief Disease is a Praematura Senectus, through the great Diminution of Nature's Stock: And just the same Symptoms as most men have about Fourscore years of Age, are added to those which I had before.