Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

upon his Word and Honour they had no fuch Defign.

And another Prieft of my Acquaintance, faid the Landlady, hath told me the fame ThingBut my Husband is always fo afraid of Papifhes. I know a great many Papifhes that are very honeft Sort of People, and fpend their Money very freely; and it is always a Maxim with me, that one Man's Money is as good as another's.'

man,

Very true, Miftrefs,' faid the Puppet-showI don't care what Religion comes, provided the Prefbyterians are not uppermoft; for they are Enemies to Puppet-fhows.'

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

And fo you would facrifice your Religion to your Intereft;' cries the Excifeman; and are defirous to fee Popery brought in, are you?' Not I truly,' anfwered the other, I hate Popery as much as any Man; but yet it is a ⚫ Comfort to one, that one should be able to live under it, which I could not do among Prefbyterians. To be fure every Man values his Livelihood firft; that must be granted; and I warrant if you would confefs the Truth, you are more afraid of lofing your Place than any Thing elfe; but never fear, Friend, there will be an Excife under another Government as well as under this.'

[ocr errors]

Why certainly,' replied the Excifeman, I fhould be a very ill Man, if I did not honour the King, whofe Bread I eat. That is no more than natural, as a Man may fay: For what fignifies it to me that there would be an Excifeoffice under another Government, fince my Friends would be out, and I could expect no "better than to follow them? No, no, Friend, I VOL. III.

I

• fhall

fhall never be bubbled out of my Religion in Hopes only of keeping my Place under another Government; for I fhould certainly be no better, and very probably might be worse.'

Why, that is what I fay,' cries the Landlord, whenever Folks fay who knows what may ⚫ happen? Odfooks! fhould not I be a Block

head to lend my Money to I know not who, • because mayhap he may return it again? I am fure it is fafe in my own Bureau, and there I will keep it.'

The Attorney's Clerk had taken a great Fancy to the Sagacity of Partridge. Whether this proceeded from the great Difcernment which the former had into Men, as well as Things, or whether it arose from the Sympathy between their Minds; for they were both truly Jacobites in Principle; they now fhook Hands heartily, and drank Bumpers of Strong Beer to Healths which we think proper to bury in Oblivion.

Thefe Healths were afterwards pledged by all prefent, and even by my Landlord himself, tho' reluctantly; but he could not withstand the Menaces of the Clerk, who fwore he would never fet his Foot within his House again, if he refused. The Bumpers which were fwallowed on this Occafion foon put an End to the Conversation. Here, therefore, we will put an End to the Chapter.

CHAP.

CHAP. VIII.

In which Fortune seems to have been in a better Humour with Jones than we have hitherto feen her.

A

S there is no wholefomer, fo perhaps there are few ftronger Sleeping Potions than Fatigue. Of this Jones might be faid to have taken a very large Dofe, and it operated very forcibly upon him. He had already flept nine Hours, and might perhaps have flept longer, had he not been awakened by a moft violent Noife at his ChamberDoor, where the Sound of many heavy Blows was accompanied with many Exclamations of Murder. Jones prefently leapt from his Bed, where he found the Mafter of the Puppet-show belabouring the Back and Ribs of his poor Merry Andrew, without either Mercy or Moderation.

Jones inftantly interpofed on Behalf of the Suffering Party, and pinned the infulting Conqueror up to the Wall: For the Puppet-show-man was no more able to contend with Jones, than the poor Party-coloured Jefter had been to contend with this Puppet-man.

But tho' the Merry Andrew was a little Fellow, and not very ftrong, he had nevertheless fome Choler about him. He therefore no fooner found himself delivered from the Enemy, than he began to attack him with the only Weapon at which he was his Equal. From this he first dif charged a Volley of general abufive Words, and thence proceeded to fome particular Accufations'D-n your Bl-d, you Rafcal,' fays he, I have not only fupported you, (for to me you owe all the Money you get) but I have faved

I 2

[ocr errors]

you

[ocr errors]

you

from the Gallows. Did you not want to rob the Lady of her fine Riding-Habit, no longer ago than Yesterday, in the Back-Lane here? Can you deny that you wished to have her alone in a Wood to ftrip her, to ftrip one of the prettieft Ladies that ever was seen in the World? and here you have fallen upon me, and have almoft murdered me for doing no Harm to a Girl as willing as myself, only because she likes me better than you.

Jones no fooner heard this, than he quitted the Mafter, laying on him at the fame time the most violent Injunctions of Forbearance from any further Infult on the Merry Andrew; and then taking the poor Wretch with him into his own Apartment, he foon learnt Tidings of his Sophia, whom the Fellow, as he was attending his Mafter with his Drum the Day before, had feen pafs by. He eafily prevailed with the Lad to Thew him the exact Place, and then having fummoned Partridge, he departed with the utmost Expedition.

It was almoft Eight of the Clock before all Matters could be got ready for his Departure: For Partridge was not in any Hafte; nor could the Reckoning be presently adjusted; and when both these were fettled and over, Jones would not quit the Place, before he had perfectly reconciled all Differences between the Master and the Man.

When this was happily accomplished, he fet forwards, and was by the trufty Merry Andrew conducted to the Spot by which Sophia had past; and then having handfomely rewarded his Conductor, he again pushed on with the utmoft Eagernefs, being highly delighted with the extraordi

nary

nary Manner in which he received his Intelligence. Of this Partridge was no fooner acquainted, than he, with great Earneftnefs, began to prophefy, and affured Jones, that he would certainly have good Succefs in the End: For, he faid, two fuch Accidents could never have happened to direct him after his Mistress, if Providence had not defigned to bring them together at laft.' And this was the firft Time that Jones lent any Attention to the fuperftitious Doctrines of his Companion.

They had not gone above two Miles, when a violent Storm of Rain overtook them; and as they happened to be at the fame Time in Sight of an Alehoufe, Partridge, with much earnest Entreaty, prevailed with Jones to enter, and weather the Storm. Hunger is an Enemy (if indeed it may be called one) which partakes more of the English than of the French Difpofition; for tho' you fubdue this never fo often, it will always rally again in Time; and fo it did with Partridge, who was no fooner arrived within the Kitchin, than he began to ask the fame Questions which he had afked the Night before. The Confequence of this was an excellent cold Chine being produced upon the Table, upon which not only Partridge, but Jones himself, made a very hearty Breakfalt, tho' the latter began to grow again uneafy, as the People of the Houfe could give him no fresh Information' concerning Sophia.

Their Meal being over, Jones was again preparing to fally, notwithstanding the Violence of the Storm ftill continued; but Partridge begged heartily for another Mugg; and at laft cafting his Eyes on a Lad at the Fire, who had entered into the Kitchin, and who at that Inftant was looking

« AnteriorContinuar »