• Who fhould he be,' anfwered Partridge, • but the Son and Heir of the great Squire Allworthy, of Somersetshire.'

Upon my Word,' faid fhe, you tell me ftrange News: For I know Mr. Allworthy of • Somersetshire very well, and I know he hath no • Son alive.'

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The Landlady pricked up her Ears at this, and Partridge looked a little confounded. However, after a fhort Hefitation, he answered, Indeed, • Madam, it is true, every body doth not know him to be Squire Allworthy's Son; for he was never married to his Mother; but his Son he certainly is, and will be his Heir too as certainly. as his Name is Jones. At that Word, Abigail let drop the Bacon, which he was conveying to her Mouth, and cried out, You furprize me, Sir. Is it poffible Mr. Jones fhould be now in the Houfe?' Quare non?' anfwered Partridge, it is poffible, and it is certain.'

Abigail now made Hafte to finish the Remainder of her Meal, and then repaired back to her Miftrefs, when the Converfation paffed, which may be read in the next Chapter.

Shewing who the amiable Lady, and her unamiable Maid, were.

A

S in the Month of June, the Damask Rose, which Chance hath planted among the Li-. lies, with their candid Hue mixes his Vermilion : Or, as fome playfome Heifer in the pleasant Month of May diffufes her odoriferous Breath over the flowery Meadows: Or as, in the blooming Month

of

of April, the gentle, conftant Dove, perched on fome fair Bough, fits meditating on her Mate; fo looking a hundred Charms and breathing as many Sweets, her Thoughts being fixed on her Tommy, with a Heart as good and innocent, as her Face was beautiful: Sophia (for it was fhe herfelf) lay reclining her lovely Head on herHand, when her Maid entered the Room, and running directly to the Bed, cried, 'Madam--Madam--who doth your Ladyfhip think is in the Houfe?' Sophia ftarting up, cried, 'I hope my Father hath not overtaken us.' 'No, Madam, it is one worth a hundred Fathers; Mr. Jones himself is here at this very Inftant. Mr. Jones!' fays Sophia, it is impoffible; I cannot be lo fortunate.' Her Maid averred the Fact, and was prefently detached by her Mistress to order him to be called; for fhe faid fhe was refolved to fee him immediately.

Mrs. Honour had no fooner left the Kitchin in the manner we have before feen, than the Landlady fell feverely upon her. The poor Woman had indeed been loading her Heart with foul Language for fome Time; and now it fcoured out of her Mouth, as Filth doth from a MudCart, when the Board which confines it, is remoy-> ed. Partridge likewife fhovelled in his Share of Calumny; and (what may furprize the Reader) not only befpattered the Maid, but attempted to fully the Lily-white Character of Sophia herself. Never a Barrel the better Herring,' cries. he. Nofcitur a focio, is a true Saying. It muft ⚫ be confeffed indeed that the Lady in the fine • Garments is the civiller of the two; but I warrant neither of them are a Bit better than they fhould be. A Couple of Bath Trulls, I'll anfwer

* for them; your Quality don't ride about at this

VOL. III.

Time

Sbo

Time o'Night without Servants. and that's true,' cries the Landlady, y certainly hit upon the very Matter; for don't come into a Houfe without befpe Supper, whether they eat or no.'

While they were thus difcourfing, Mrs. returned, and difcharged her Commiffion, ding the Landlady immediately wake Mr and tell him a Lady wanted to speak wit The Landlady referred her to Partridge, he was the Squire's Friend; but, for h fhe never called Men-folks, efpecially men,' and then walked fullenly out Kitchin. Honour applied herself to Partrid he refused; For my Friend,' cries he, to Bed very late, and he would be very to be difturbed fo foon.' Mrs, Honour ftill to have him called, faying, 'fhe w inftead of being angry, that he would the higheft Degree delighted when he the Occafion.” Another Time, perh might, cries Partridge; but non omni mus omnes. One Woman is enough at o a reasonable Man." What do you m one Woman, Fellow?' cries Honour.

of your Fellow?' antwered Partridge. F proceeded to inform her plainly, that for in Bed with a Wench, and made ufe of preffion too indelicate to be here inferted; fo enraged Mrs. Honour, that fhe called him anapes, and returned in a violent Hurry Miftrefs, whom the acquainted with the of her Errand, and with the Account i received; which, if poffible, fhe exagg being as angry with Jones as if he had pr ded all the Words that came from the M

Pa

Partridge. She difcharged a Torrent of Abufe on the Mafter, and advised her Mistress to quit all Thoughts of a Man who had never fhewn himfelf deferving of her. She then ripped up the Story of Molly Seagrim, and gave the moft malicious Turn to his formerly quitting Sophia herfelf; which, I muft confefs, the prefent Incident not a little countenanced.

The Spirits of Sophia were too much diffipated by Concern to enable her to ftop the Torrent of her Maid. At laft, however, the interrupted her, faying, I never can believe this; fome Villain hath belied him. You fay you had it from his Friend; but furely it is not the Office of a Friend to betray fuch Secrets.' I fuppofe,' cries Honour, the Fellow is his Pimp; for I never faw fo ill-looked a Villain. Befides, fuch profligate Rakes as Mr. Jones are never "afhamed of these Matters.'

To fay the Truth, this Behaviour of Partridge was a little inexcufable; but he had not flept off the Effect of the Dofe which he fwallowed the Evening before; which had, in the Morning, received the Addition of above a Pint of Wine, or indeed rather of Malt Spirits; for the Perry was by no means pure. Now that Part of his Head which Nature defigned for the Refervoir of Drink, being very fhallow, a fmall Quantity of Liquor overflowed it, and opened the Sluices of his Heart; fo that all the Secrets there depofited run out. Thefe Sluices were indeed naturally very ill fecured. To give the beft natured Turn we can to his Difpofition, he was a very honeft Man; for as he was the moft inquifitive of Mor-. tals, and eternally prying into the Secrets of others fo he very faithfully paid them by communicating,

C 2

municating, in Return, every thing wi Knowledge.

6

While Sophia, tormented with Anxiety not what to believe, nor what Refolution Sujan arrived with the Sack-whey. Mrs immediately advised her Miftrefs, in a V to pump this Wench, who probably c form her of the Truth. Sophia approved began as follows: Come hither, Chi anfwer me truly what I am going to and I promife you I will very well rew Is there a young Gentleman in this handfome young Gentleman that' phia blufhed and was confounded ——‘ Gentleman, cries Honour, that can in Company with that faucy Rafcal wh in the Kitchin?' Sufan anfwered, was.'--' Do you know any Thing of an continues Sophia, any Lady? I don't whether he is handfome or no; perh not, that's nothing to the Purpofe; bu know of any Lady?' La, Mada Honour, you will make a very bad E Harkee, Child,' fays fhe, is not young Gentleman now in Bed with f Trull or other?' Here Sufan fmiled, filent. Anfwer the Queffion, Child, phia, and here's a Guinea for yo Guinea! Madam,' cries Sufan; La Guinea? If my Mistress fhould know certainly lofe my Place that very Here's another for you,' fays Saphic promife you faithfully your Mistress know it.' Sufan, after a very fhort F took the Money, and told the whole St cluding with faying, If you have any gr

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