Epistle XIV. To Acilius.
by
the Same. [Mr. Henley]
[_]
Two stories of a Gentleman at the Bath.
LArgius Macedo, that has past the Prætorship, has endur'd vile Treatment,
such as deserves a Notice beyond an Epistle, from his Servants. He was truly,
in other Regards, a proud and cruel Master; and one, who very little,
or not at all remembred that his Father was a Servant. He was using the Bath in his
Formian Villa; suddenly his Servants encompass him, they fall upon his Mouth,
his Face, his breast, his Belly, and what is most base and
shameful, the most sensible and conceal'd Parts: and when they took him to be breathless,
they fling him on the glowing Pavement, to try whether he was alive or no.
He, whether he really was, or only pretended to be, void of Sense, extended and Motionless,
made them believe he was dispatch'd; and then is carry'd out, as if only relax'd by the warmth of Bathing.
The more trusty Servants take him away; the Ladies he entertain'd flock'd together with all the Screaming and Cry imaginable.
Thus rais'd by the Voices about him, and refresh'd by the coolness of the Place,
his Eyes open, his Body moves, and he owns, as it was now free from Danger,
that he is one of the Living. The Slaves disperse themselves, a great Part of them are seiz'd,
and Search is made for the other. In a few Days, as his Spirit was very hardly supported,
he dy'd, not without a Comfort in the View of Revenge; which he, while living,
receiv'd as Men do that are kill'd. You see, to what Dangers, Affronts,
and Derision we are liable. Nor
has any a Reason to be secure, because he is careless and easy; for a Master is often murder'd by Villainy,
as well as a malicious Design. Well, so much for this. What News besides?
What? why none at all, otherwise I would give it to you. For my Paper allows me sufficient room,
and the Festival Season would give me Liberty to put more together. I will add however a thing that I now luckily remember,
about
this same
Macedo. As he was in the publick Bath at
Rome,
an odd Accident, and as the Event shew'd, an ominous one befell him: a
Roman Knight, admonish'd by his Servant to give him Passage, with a light touch of his Hand,
turn'd about, and gave, not the Man that touch'd him, but
Macedo
himself, so violent a Blow with his Fist, that he almost fell'd him. Thus the Bath was first a Place of Insult to him,
and then, as it were, by certain Degrees, of Destruction.
