But my husband is always so afraid of papishes. 'I know a great many papishes that are very honest sort of people, and spend their money very freely; and it is always a maxim with me, that one man's money is as good as another's.'

C Very true, mistress,' said the puppet-show man; I don't care what religion comes, provided the presbyterians are not uppermost; for they • are enemies to puppet-shows.'

And so you would sacrifice your religion to your interest,' cries the exciseman; and are de'sirous to see popery brought in, are you?' 'Not I, truly,' answered the other; I hate popery as much as any man; but yet it is a com'fort to one, that one should be able to live under it, which I could not do among presbyterians. To be sure every man values his livelihood first; that must be granted; and I war6 rant, if you would confess the truth, you are more afraid of losing your place than any thing else; but never fear, friend, there will be an 'excise under another government as well as under this.'

Why, certainly,' replied the exciseman, "I 'should be a very ill man, if I did not honour the

king, whose bread I eat. That is no more than natural, as a man may say: for what signifies ' it to me that there would be an excise-office under 6 another government, since my friends would be out, and I could expect no better than to follow them? No, no, friend, I shall never be bubbled 'out of my religion, in hopes only of keeping my place under another government; for I should certainly be no better, and very probably might 'be worse.'

Why, that is what I say,' cries the landlord,

whenever folks say who knows what may happen? Odsooks! should I not be a block head to lend my money to I know not who, because may hap ' he may return it `again? I am sure it is safe 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 discernment of 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 shook hands heartily, and drank bumpers of strong beer to healths which we think proper to bury in oblivion.

These healths were afterwards pledged by all present, and even by my landlord himself, though reluctantly; but he could not withstand the me. naces of the clerk, who swore he would never set his foot within his house again if he refused. The bumpers which were swallowed on this occasion, soon put an end to the conversation. Here, therefore, we will put an end to the chapter.

CHAP. VIII.

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

As

s there is no wholesomer, so perhaps there are few stronger, sleeping potions than fatigue. Of this Jones might be said to have taken a very large dose, and it operated very forcibly upon him. He had already slept nine hours, and might, perhaps, have slept longer, had he not

been awakened by a most violent noise at his chamber-door, where the sound of many heavy blows was accompanied with many exclamations of murder. Jones presently leaped from his bed, where he found the master of the puppet-show belabouring the back and ribs of his poor Merry-Andrew, without either mercy or mode

ration.

Jones instantly interposed on behalf of the suffering party, and pinned the insulting conqueror up to the wall: for the puppet-show man was no more able to contend with Jones, than the poor party-coloured jester had been to contend with this puppet-man.

But though the Merry-Andrew was a little fellow, and not very strong, he had, nevertheless, some choler about him. He, therefore, no sooner 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 discharged a volley of general abusive words, and thence proceeded to some particular accusations— 'D-n your bl-d, you rascal,' says he, "I have not only supported you (for to me you < owe all the money you get), but I have saved 6 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 strip her, to strip one of the 6 prettiest ladies that ever was seen in the world? And here you have fallen upon me, and have almost murdered me, for doing no harm to a 6 girl as willing as myself, only because she likes 6 me better than you.'

Jones no sooner heard this, than he quitted the master, lying on him at the same time the most

violent injunctions of forbearance from any fur. ther insult on the Merry-Andrew; and then, taking the poor wretch with him into his own apartment, he soon learnt tidings of his Sophia, whom the fellow, as he was attending his master with his drum the day before, had seen pass by. He easily prevailed with the lad to show him the exact place, and then, having summoued Partridge, he departed with the utmost expedition.

It was almost eight of the clock before all matters could be got ready for his departure : for Partridge was not in any haste; nor could the reckoning be presently adjusted; and when both these were settled 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 set forwards, and was by the trusty Merry-Andrew conducted to the spot by which Sophia had passed; and then, having handsomely rewarded his conductor, he again pushed on with the utmost eagerness, being highly delighted with the extraordi nary manner in which he received his intelligence. Of this Partridge was no sooner acquainted, than he, with great earnestness, began to prophesy, and assured Jones, that he would certainly have good success in the end: for, he said, two such accidents could never have happened to direct him after his mistress, if Providence had not 'designed to bring them together at last.' And this was the first time that Jones lent any attention to the superstitious doctrines of his com. panion.

6

They had not gone above two miles, when a violent storm of rain overtook them; and, as they

happened to be at the same time in sight of an alehouse, 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 disposition; for though you subdue this never so often, it will always rally again in time; and so it did with Partridge, who was no sooner arrived within the kitchen, than he began to ask the same questions which he had asked the night before. The consequence of this was an excellent cold chine being produced upon the table, upon which not only Par tridge, but Jones himself, made a very hearty breakfast, though the latter began to grow again uneasy, as the people of the house could give him no fresh information concerning Sophia.

Their meal being over, Jones was again preparing to sally, notwithstanding the violence of the storm still continued; but Partridge begged heartily for another mug; and at last casting his eyes on a lad at the fire, who had entered into the kitchen, and who at that instant was looking as earnestly at him, he turned suddenly to Jones, and cried, Master, give me your hand, a single 6 mug shan't serve the turn this bout. Why, here's more news of Madam Sophia come to town. The boy there, standing by the fire, is the very lad that rode before her. I can swear to my own plaister on his face.'-' Heavens bless " you, sir,' cries the boy, it is your own plaister, sure enough; I shall have always reason to remember your goodness; for it hath almost cured me.'

At these words Jones started from his chair, and bidding the boy follow him immediately, de parted from the kitchen into a private apartment;