Possible Clues:

• Richard shielded by gun laid low
• Wounded
• Laid low, out of action
• Badly affected, swindle out of some money? Just the opposite
• Badly hurt with sprain in cricket practice, so laid up
• Afflicted with 2 down with only half the senate around
• Hit
• Son with scam: teen regularly affected
• Gone on strike when there was plenty of hay in the nest
• Laid low (by illness)