'By the authority of God Almighty, the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, and of the holy canons, and of the undefiled Virgin Mary, mother and patroness of our Saviour.' I think there is no necessity, quoth Dr. Slop, dropping the paper down to his knee, and addressing himself to my father--as you have read it over, Sir, so lately, to read it aloud--and as Captain Shandy seems to have no great inclination to hear it--I may as well read it to myself.
That's contrary to treaty, replied my father:--besides, there is something so whimsical, especially in the latter part of it, I should grieve to lose the pleasure of a second reading. Dr. Slop did not altogether like it,--but my uncle Toby offering at that instant to give over whistling, and read it himself to them;--Dr. Slop thought he might as well read it under the cover of my uncle Toby's whistling--as suffer my uncle Toby to read it alone;--so raising up the paper to his face, and holding it quite parallel to it, in order to hide his chagrin--he read it aloud as follows--my uncle Toby whistling Lillabullero, though not quite so loud as before.
'By the authority of God Almighty, the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, and of the undefiled Virgin Mary, mother and patroness of our Saviour, and of all the celestial virtues, angels, archangels, thrones, dominions, powers, cherubins and seraphins, and of all the holy patriarchs, prophets, and of all the apostles and evangelists, and of the holy innocents, who in the sight of the Holy Lamb, are found worthy to sing the new song of the holy martyrs and holy confessors, and of the holy virgins, and of all the saints together, with the holy and elect of God,--May he' (Obadiah) 'be damn'd' (for tying these knots)--'We excommunicate, and anathematize him, and from the thresholds of the holy church of God Almighty we sequester him, that he may be tormented, disposed, and delivered over with Dathan and Abiram, and with those who say unto the Lord God, Depart from us, we desire none of thy ways. And as fire is quenched with water, so let the light of him be put out for evermore, unless it shall repent him' (Obadiah, of the knots which he has tied) 'and make satisfaction' (for them) 'Amen.
'May the Father who created man, curse him.--May the Son who suffered for us curse him.--May the Holy Ghost, who was given to us in baptism, curse him' (Obadiah)--'May the holy cross which Christ, for our salvation triumphing over his enemies, ascended, curse him.
'May the holy and eternal Virgin Mary, mother of God, curse him.--May St.