" Mrs Edmonds, the landlady of the inn,
having a brother in Dublin, was much disturbed by overhearing
these words; so, when the doctor accompanied the mayor
downstairs, she hastened into his room, opened his box, took out
the commission, and put a pack of cards in its place. When the
doctor returned to his apartment, he put the box into his
portmanteau without suspicion, and the next morning sailed for
Dublin. On his arrival he waited on the lord-lieutenant and
privy council, to whom he made a speech on the subject of his
mission, and then presented the box to his Lordship; but on
opening it, there appeared only a pack of cards, with the knave
of clubs uppermost. The doctor was petrified, and assured the
council that he had had a commission, but what was become of it
he could not tell. The lord-lieutenant answered, "Let us have
another commission, and, in the mean while, we can shuffle the
cards." Before the doctor could get his commission renewed Queen
Mary died, and thus the persecution was prevented. We are
further informed that, when Queen Elizabeth was made acquainted
with the circumstances, she settled a pension of L40 per annum on
Mrs Edmonds, for having saved her Protestant subjects in
Ireland.
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