deity, but by a very natural, though fortunate acci dent; viz. by the arrival of Partridge, who entered the house at that inftant, (for fear had caufed him to run every ftep from the hill), and who, fecing the danger which threatened his malter, or companion, (which you chufe to call him), prevented to fad a catastrophe, by catching hold of the landlady's arm, as it was brandifhed aloft in the air.

The landlady foon perceived the impediment which prevented her blow; and, being unable to refcue her arm from the hands of Partridge, fhe let fall the broom; and, then leaving Jones to the difcipline of her husband, the fell with the utmoft fury on that poor fellow, who had already given fome intimation of himself, by crying, Zounds! do you intend to kill my friend?'

Partridge, though not much addicted to battle, would not however ftand ftill when his friend was attacked; nor was he much difspleased with that part of the combat which fell to his fhare: he therefore returned my landlady's blows as foon as he received them; and now the fight was obftinately maintained on all parts, and it feemed doubtful to which fide fortune would incline, when the naked lady, who had listened at the top of the ftairs to the dialogue which preceded the engagement, defcended fuddenly from above, and, without weighing the unfair inequality of two to one, fell upon the poor woman who was boxing with Partridge; nor did that great champion defift, but rather redoubled his fury, when he found fresh fuccours were arrived to his affift

ance.

Victory must now have fallen to the fide of the travellers, (for the bravest troops muft yield to num bers), had not Sufan the chambermaid come luckily to fupport her miftrefs. This Sufan was as two-handed a wench (according to the phrafe), as any in the coun-1 try, and would, I believe, have beat the famed Tha leftris herself, or any of her fubject Amazons; for her form was robust and manlike, and every way made for fuch encounters. As her hands and arms were formed to give blows with great mifchief to an enemy,

fo

fo was her face as well contrived to receive blows without any great injury to herself: her nofe being already flat to her face; her lips were fo large, that no fwelling could be perceived in them, and moreover they were fo hard, that a filt could hardly make any impreffion on them. Lafly, her cheek-bones flood out, as if nature had intended them for twọ baftions to defend her eyes in thofe encounters for which fhe feemed fo well calculated, and to which fhe was molt wonderfully well inclined.

This fair creature, entering the field of battle, immediately filed to that wing where her mittress maintained to unequal a fight with one of either fex. Here The prefently challenged Partridge to fingle combat. He accepted the challenge, and a moft defperate fight began between them.

Now the dogs of war being let loose began to lick their bloody lips; now victory with golden wings hung hovering in the air. Now fortune, taking her fcales from her shelf, began to weigh the fates of Tom Jones, his female companion, and Partridge, against the landlord, his wife, and maid; all which hung in exact balance before her; when a goodnatured accident put fuddenly an end to the bloody fray, with which half of the combatants had already fufficiently feafted. This accident was the arrival of a coach and four; upon which my landlord and landlady immediately defifted from fighting, and at their entreaty obtained the fame favour of their antagonifts; but Sufan was not fo kind to Partridge; for that Amazonian fair having overthrown and beftrid her enemy, was now cuffing him luftily with both her hands, without any regard to his requeft of a ceffation of arms, or to those loud exclamations of murder which he roared forth.

No fooner, however, had Jones quitted the landlord, than he flew to the rescue of his defeated com. panion, from whom he with much difficulty drew off the enraged chambermaid; but Partridge was not immediately fenfible of his deliverance; for he ftill lay flat on the floor, guarding his face with his hands, nor did he ceafe roaring, till Jones had forced

him

him to look up, and to perceive that the battle was at an end.

The landlord who had no visible hurt, and the landlady hiding her well-fcratched face with her handkerchief, ran both haftily to the door to attend the coach, from which a young lady and her maid now alighted. Thefe the landlady prefently ufhered into that room where Mr. Jones had at firft depofited his fair prize, as it was the best apartment in the house. Hither they were obliged to pass through the field of battle, which they did with the utmost hafte, covering their faces with their handkerchiefs, as defirous to avoid the notice of any one. Indeed their caution was quite unneceffary: for the poor unfortunate Helen, the fatal cause of all the bloodshed, was entirely taken up in endeavouring to conceal her own face, and Jones was no lefs occupied in refcuing Partridge from the fury of Sufan, which being happily effected, the poor fellow immediately departed to the pump to wath his face, and to top that bloody torrent which Sufan had plentifully fet a flowing from his noftrils.

CHA P. IV.

In which the arrival of a man of war puts a final end to hoftilities, and caufes the conclufion of a firm and lafting peace between all parties.

A

SERJEANT and a file of mufqueteers, with a deferter in their custody, arrived about this time. The ferjeant prefently enquired for the principal magiftrate of the town, and was informed by my landlord, that he himself was vefted in that office. He then demanded his billets, together with a mug of beer, and, complaining it was cold, fpread himself before the kitchen fire.

Mr. Jones was at this time comforting the poor dif treffed lady, who fat down at a table in the kitchen, and, leaning her head upon her arm, was bemoaning her misfortunes; but, leaft my fair readers fhould be in pain concerning a particular circumftance, I think proper here to acquaint them, that, before. fe had quitted the room above stairs, the had fo well covered

herself

2

herfelf with a pillowbeer which' fhe there found, that her regard to decency was not in the leaft violated by the prefence of so many men as were now in the

room.

One of the foldiers now went up to the ferjeant, and whispered fomething in his ear; upon which he ftedfaftly fixed his eyes on the lady, and, having looked at her for near a minute, he came up to her, faying, I afk pardon, Madam, but I am certain I am not deceived, you can be no other perfon than Captain Waters's lady.'

The poor woman, who in her prefent diftrefs had very little regarded the face of any perfon prefent, no fooner looked at the ferjeant, than fhe prefently recollected him, and, calling him by his name, answered, that he was indeed the unhappy perfon he imagined her to be; but added, I wonder any one fhould know me in this difguife.' To which the ferjeant replied, he was very much furprised to fee her ladyfhip in • fuch a drefs, and was afraid fome accident had happened to her.' An accident hath happened to me, indeed,' fays fhe, and I am highly obliged to this gentleman, (pointing to Jones), that it was not a fatal one, or that I am now living to mention it.' Whatever the gentleman hath done, cries the fer< jeant, 'I am fure the captain will make him amends for it; and if I can be of any fervice, your ladyfhip may command me, and I fhall think myfelf very happy to have it in my power to ferve your ladyfhip; and fo indeed may any one, for I know the captain will well reward them for it.'

The landlady who heard from the ftairs all that past between the ferjeant and Mrs. Waters, came haitily down, and, running directly up to her, began to alk pardon for the offences the had committed, begging that all might be imputed to ignorance of her quality: for, Lud! Madam,' fays fhe, how thould I have imagined that a lady of your fashion would appear in • fuch a drefs? I am fure, Madam, if I had once fufpected that your ladyfhip was your lady fhip, I would ⚫ fooner have burnt my tongue out, than have faid what

I

I have

I have faid: and I hope your ladyfhip will accept * of a gown, till you can get your own cloaths.'

Prithee woman,' fays Mrs. Waters, cease your impertinence: how can you imagine I should concern myself about any thing which comes from the lips of fuch low creatures as yourself. But I am furprized at your affurance in thinking, after what is paft, that I will condefcend to put on any of your dirty things. I would have you know, creature, I have a spirit above that'

Here Jones interfered, and begged Mrs. Waters to forgive the landlady, and to accept her gown: For • I must confefs,' cries he, our appearance was a little fufpicious when first we came in and I am ・ well affured, all this good woman did was, as fhe profeffed, out of regard to the reputation of her •houfe.'

Yes, upon my truly was it,' fays fhe, the gen*tleman speaks very much like a gentleman, and I fee very plainly is fo; and to be certain the house is well known to be a houfe of as good reputation as any on the road, and, though I fay it, is frequented by gentry of the beft quality, both Irish and English. I defy any body to fay black is my eye, for that matter. And, as I was faying, if I had known your ladyfhip to be your ladyship, I 'would as foon have burnt my fingers as have af'fronted your ladyship; but truly, where gentry come

.

and spend their money, I am not willing that they fhould be fcandalized by a set of poor fhabby ver* min, that, where-ever they go, leave more lice than money behind them; fuch folks never raise my compaffion: for, to be certain, it is foolish to have any for them, and, if our juftices did as they ought, they would be all whipt out of the kingdom; for, to be certain, it is what is moft fitting for them. But, as for your ladyfhip, I am heartily forry your ladyfhip hath had a misfortune, and, if your ladyfhip will do me the honour to wear my cloaths till you can get fome of your ladyship's own, to be certain the best I have is at your ladyfhip's fervice.' Whether cold, fhame, or the perfuafions of Mr. VOL. VIII.

L

Jones