DR. BENJAMIN ALLEN, OF BRAINTREE. 161
in our town. My son had it in July." Again, in 1721, he
notes (p. 348) : "Small pocks terribly much and mortal at
Braintry." 
Many other entries bear testimony to the great extent of
Allen's practise, not only in Braintree itself, but also in a wide
district surrounding the town. Thus, we find references to his
having attended "old Mr. Ruggles," of Bocking; "Mr. Jackson,
of Wittam"; Madame Clark, of Wethersfield Hall; Mrs.
Brooks, of Yeldham ; "Goody Young, of Stistead" ; "Mr. ——,
of Radwinter" ; "Mr. ——, of Patterswick" ; Mr. Holmes, of
High Garret (in 1724); "a woman good wife or Mrs. Davies" (in
1724) ; Mrs. Guyon, of Stisted; "Mrs. Jaques, at Mr. G.
Bullock Esq.'s, at Dynes Hall, 1724"; "Davys, of Bockin
work-hous" (in 1718) ; "Mr. Creswell, the Bradwell minister" ;
"Mr. Baron, the gardner at Coxall [i.e., Coggeshall]" ; Lady
Tyrwitt; Mr. Livermore, of Rayne ; the Dean of Bocking;
"Mr. Wake's son"; "Mr. Rogers at the White Hart" (in
Braintree) ;" Mr. Millington's son, of Cheapen [i.e., Chipping]
Hill," Witham (cured of a colic in 1723) ; and very many more.
On 25 May 1722 (p. 125), he attended "Goodman Hatly, of
Wethersfield ; actually distracted ; [hanged himself] on a tree ;
being cut down, he liv'd." Alien was evidently very proud of
the case of Mrs. Aylet, of Bocking (p. 143), whom he cured of
"a malignant feaver" after other apothecaries had failed ; and,
under date 10 July 1726, he enters very full particulars of the
manner in which he treated her. The case of "good Mr.
Walford," of Bocking, who, in October 1725, suffered from "a
dropsy upon a decay by drinking," was evidently one of some
importance; for Allen wrote specially to obtain the advice of Dr.
Beeston, of Ipswich, in regard to it. Equally important,
apparently (p. 121), was "the Lady Alleyn's case, this year
1724," as to which he met Dr. Hugh Chamberlayn in consulta-
tion. A still more important patient was Charles Duke of
Manchester1, in whose large establishment at Leez Priory Allen
seems to have held the post of Physician-in-Ordinary ; for,
addressing the Duke in 1711, Allen alludes to "the honour I
have to be employed in your Lordship's family."2
Some dozen pages (103-111 and 208-210) of the book are
1 See ante, p. 156.
2 Mineral Waters. Dedication (1711).