Chapter 29

Of a certain man that was dropsical.

A CERTAIN dropsical man, that took his surname from his plight, being quite unable to hide the inward grief of his mind, exposed his wretchedness to the sight of all beholders. For moisture beneath his skin had caused a swelling tumour and the disease which lurked within showed outwardly by his swollen belly. He, being brought to the church of the most blessed apostle Bartholomew, after rolling himself writhing on the pavement in different directions through the greatness of his pain, at length in the sight of all discharged the deadly poison, and with his inwards thus purged of the deadly plague returned sound to his home.

The Book of the Foundation of St. Bartholomew's, Smithfield Rendered into Modern English from the original Latin version preserved in the British Museum, numbered Vespasian B. IX, by Mr. Humphrey H. King and Mr. William Barnard for use in the Records of St. Bartholomew's Priory by E.A. Webb.

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