a parish-clerk,⸺transferred to his parson,⸺lost forever to thy own, the remainder of his days,⸺nor restored to his restless Manes till this very moment, that I tell the world the story.
Can the reader believe, that this sermon of Yorick’s was preached at an assize, in the cathedral of York , before a thousand witnesses, ready to give oath of it, by a certain prebendary of that church, and actually printed by him when he had done,⸺and within so short a space as two years and three months after Yorick’s death?— Yorick indeed, was never better served in his life;⸻but it was a little hard to maltreat him after, and plunder him after he was laid in his grave.
However, as the gentleman who did it was in perfect charity with Yorick ,—and, in conscious justice, printed but a few copies to give away;—and that I am told he could moreover have made as good a one himself, had he thought fit,—I declare I would not have published this anecdote to the world;⸺nor do I publish it with an intent to hurt his character and advancement in the church;⸺I leave that to others;—but I find myself impelled by two reasons, which I cannot withstand.