part washed with the king's hand. Application was consequently made
to Edward, by her friends, who very humanely consented to perform
the unpleasant request. A basin of water was brought, with which he
carefully softened the humours, till they broke, and the contents
discharged; the sign of the cross wound up the charm; and the female
retired, with the assurance of his protection during the remainder
of the cure, which was effected within a week." This is somewhat
differently related in _Ailred's History of the Life and Miracles of
Edward the Confessor_, an extract from which may be found in a note
to the first volume of Rapin's _History of England_.

The following curious advertisement was issued by the order of King
Charles II. for healing the people, on the 18th of May, 1664.

"Notice.

"His sacred majesty having declared it to be his royal will and purpose
to continue the healing of his people for the evil during the month of
May, and then give over till Michaelmas next; I am commanded to give
notice thereof, that the people may not come up to the town in the
interim, and lose their labour."

Thomas Mousewell was tried for high treason in 1684, for having spoken
with contempt of King Charles's pretensions to cure the scrofula.

In a manuscript account of the Restoration, written by Thomas Gumble,
D.D. Chaplain to General Monck, in the year 1662, is the following
description of the ceremony:--" There was a great chair placed for the
king, in a place somewhat distant from the people. As soon as the king
was sate, one of the clerks of the closet stood at the right side of his