And, accordingly, there were abundance of those silken back,
breast, and headpots made and sold, that were pretended to be
pistol proof; in which any man dressed up was as safe as in a
house, for it was impossible anyone could go to strike him for
laughing; so ridiculous was the figure, as they say, of hogs in
armour. This was the armour of defence; but our sparks were not
altogether so tame as to carry their provision no further, for
truly they intended to be assailants upon fair occasion, and had
for that end recommended also to them a certain pocket weapon,
which for its design and efficacy had the honour to be called a
protestant flail. It was for street and crowd work; and the
engine lurking perdue in a coat pocket, might readily sally out
to execution, and so, by clearing a great hall, or piazza or so,
carry an election by a choice of polling called knocking down.
The handle resembled a farrier's blood stick, and the fall was
joined to the end by a strong nervous ligature, that in its swing
fell just short of the hand, and was made of LIGNUM VITAE, or
rather, as the poet termed it, MORTIS."
One day, whilst the town was in this state of consternation,
Tonge sent for Dr. Burnet, who hastened to visit him in the
apartments allotted him and Oates at Whitehall. The historian
says he found Tonge "so lifted up that he seemed to have lost the
little sense he had. Oates came in," he continues, "and made me
a compliment that I was one that was marked out to be killed.
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