a well made Fellow, who had great Powers of Converfion about him; he therefore feeling Mr. Popkins's Left-hand at his Collar, feeing the Right directed to his Face, and confidering it as an English Auto de Fe, cried out he was ready to renounce his Faith, if they would get a Parfon to whom it might be acknowledged. This fufpended the Excifeman's Powers of Converfion; but as there was no Parfon in the Neighbourhood, the Widow, who had as much Waggishness as a Merry Andrew, propofed another Expedient, that Mr. Levi, to convince the Company of his Converfion to Chriftianity, fhould eat a Yard of Hog's Pudding, which the would broil for him: This was agreed to by the Excifeman; Mr. Levi accordingly devoured this Christian Morfel, and proved himself a Convert to the Satisfaction of all prefent, Mr. Popkins valuing himself not a little on thus having faved a Jew from the Torments of the other World.

DURING this Difpute, the Maid of the House (for permit me to say this Inn was not quite fo large as the Cafle at Marlborough, the King's-Arms at Spinhamlands, the Crown at Reading, or the Caftle at Salibil) took the Liberty to participate the Converfation with her Mirefs, a Liberty which Maids will fometimes take, from the Palace to the Cottage, who are too much familiarized with their Miftrets's Manners and Secrets: Indeed, as thefe laft are not fworn to Secrecy, like Members of a Privy-council, it is no wonder their Superiors are a little fufpicious of their Blabbing; a thing which is always effectually prevented by an Ŏath by Potentates all over Europe, one only excepted, which is the King of Pruffia; he indeed has another way almoft as effectual, which is that of not letting his Minifters know what he intends doing.

Molly then had made herfelf of the Party during this Difpute, and to her Mr. Cook being warmed with Ale, made Love from the tendereft Parts of all the moft pathetic Tragedies; this being quoted from the Language of Princes, was a Strain beyond the Resistance of any Servant-maid's Chastity. Indeed this Virtue in Molly, though it had never been abfolutely broken by a Lying in, yet like a Cable in a Storm, it

had

had been stretched; she had therefore frequently veered out more Rope, according to Occafion, before she parted from her Anchor, and was determined to put the fame Expedient again in Practice for the fake of Mr. Cook, who was a Lover of quite another kind from any she had ever received,

IT was then agreed that Molly should act a Part in All for Love that Night with Mr. Cook; and play it, not as on the Stage in London, with Alterations by Dryden, but according to the Original, as it was exactly performed by Antony and Cleopatra in Egypt, almoft two thousand Years ago.

THIS Bargain however, was not fo fecretly made, but the Widow Swadle overheard the Refolution; and as the had a much greater Mind, to speak in the theatrical Phrase, to Mark Antony than Shylock, she was devifing how to change Parts with her Maid, and act Cleopatra for that Night at leaft; the Ring the was in Poffeffion of, as hath been already said.

THESE two Amours were to be begun by the two Females feeking their Knights in the Dark, according to the Laws in which they are generally transacted in Caftles of this kind.

MRS. Swadle therefore taking Occafion to tell Molly, that Mr, Levi fhould fleep in the Lion, and Mr. Cook in the Tyger, (which not to frighten young travelling Squires, we muft affure them are not the Bellies of two wild Beafts, but two Chambers chriftened in this manner in an Inn) defiring her to tun up the Ale, and The would put the Gentlemen to Bed herself, in the mean while.

In

THIS Molly agreeing to the good Woman of the Houfe alter'd her Intentions, and put Mr. Levi in the Tyger, and Mr. Cook in the Lion, and never mentioned one Word of this Alteration to her Maid Mary. deed, the Landlady had fince been heard to fay, that fhe thought he had trufted her Servant with Secrets enough before that Time, and chofe to keep this one to herself, at least till the Morning.

AFFAIRS being fettled, the Mistress and the Maid, took Leave of each other with a Good-night, very cordially pronounced.

Now

Now as it had been obferv'd by those who look deep into human Nature, that Joy and Sorrow in Excefs will produce Tears; fo we obferve, that each of thefe Paffions has great Power to keep People waking.

On the Approach of one of which Paffions, perhaps both, the Player expecting his Cleopatra with unfleeping Eyes, gently fpouting tender Tragedy, like a jet d'eau at half Play, and Levi in the fame Situation, filent, expecting Mrs. Swadle with more Earneftness than G- -d- -n does the coming of the Meffiah, e his Trial for Breach of Law at the

and Le HKing's-bench.

THE Ladies alfo continued till all was quiet: Indeed the Time was not long, for as every one in the Houfe was to perform a Vigil that Night, the Excifeman excepted, he, as if confcious of his fleeping for all the reft, began to imitate the Sound of Hogs in a calm Night; thefe Animals being obferved by the most fhrewd and learned Naturalifts, to fleep quieteft in a Storm.

Ir will be remembered by the Wags amongft'our Readers, that Mrs. Swadle, in Imitation of great Ministers, had given out one Defign, and followed another ; that is, the altered the firft Intention of lodging her Guefts, by which Means it came to pafs, that Molly not being acquainted with the Alteration, walk'd away to the Bed of Levi, and instead of acting, as the had intended, the Part of Cleopatra in the Arms of Mark Antony, was reduced to be the Female Companion of Shylock.

AT length the rofy-fifted Morning having drawn the Curtains of the Night, which invelop'd the Bed in which he had flept with Phebus, perceiving that it was time to get up, leapt from her Mafter's Side, and ordering the Grooms to put the Horfes to, waked the young Gentleman, and fet out, fcattering rofy Water in Dew-drops to refreth him as he paft along; in plain English, it was Day.

THIS difcovered that Mrs. Molly had been mistaken, as well as Mr. Cook, tho' all Parties were tolerably well fatisfied: As the Maid fufpected the Miftake was

in

in her Memory, and did not imagine how Things had gone with her Mistress, they did not chufe to mention the Thing to each other.

THE Jerv however finding the Bargain uncomplied with on the Side of Mrs. Swadle, who refufed to refund the Ring, threatened to fwear a Robbery against her; on which Mrs. Swadle fpeaking to Molly, without difcovering the was in the other Bed, told her the whole Affair of the Agreement with the Jew.

THIS good Girl having a great Love for her Mistress, a rare Inftance in Servants now a-days! inmediately threaten'd to fwear a Rape against Levi, unless he made

her a Prefent also.

THIS being obliged to do in a Pair of Silver Buckles, he quitted the Houfe before the Player and Exciseman were firring, and proceeded to Newbury Market.

THE Exciseman and Tragedian being both awaked, came down, and breakfasted on fome cold Meat, and a Tankard of Ale; when each intending to go the fame Road, they paid their Reckoning, and fet out for the great City of London; Mr. Cook taking Leave of Mrs. Swadle in tender Tragedy, the good Woman wishing to have the fame Play given out for the next Night.

More Adventures on the Road; together with a Scene of the Humbug; which thro' Variety of Fortunes, bring a Player and an Excifeman a great Way on the Road to London.

S thefe two Gentlemen walked the Road together,

A inactentive of one another, each deeply amufed

with his coming Grandeur; the Excifeman loft in that
Pomp which he intended to appear in when he re-
turn'd, and amaze the Landlady; and Mr. Cook rumi-
nating on the Princes and Potentates which he should
reprefent, and the vaft Applaufe that he muft gain in
acting Parts that require the greatest Talents to per-
VOL. II.
I

form

form well; as they thus walked together, the Tragedian, loft in Attention to the Part of Othello, ftopt fhort, and taking hold of the Excifeman, cried,

Soft you, a Word or tavo, before you go.

I've done the State fome Service, and they know't :
No more of that; I pray you in your Letters,
When you fall these unlucky Deeds relate,
Speak of me as I am.

THIS Speech the Excifeman interupted in this Place, by faying, he did not intend writing to the State about it, but was carrying the Meffage himself by Word of Mouth, and if he could ferve him in any thing, he fhould be glad to do it with all his Heart.

MR. Cook thanked him very profoundly, when recollecting himself and his Pockets that were then empty, Mr. Popkins's faying laft Night that he was extremely rich, and now that he was going to the State himself, he concluded that his Companion was fome Squire in Difguife going to Parliament.

great Welch

THE Tragedian therefore, feemed inclined to know why a Man of Riches chofe to travel on Foot; Mr. Popkins answered as before, that it was his Fancy, and in fact that he was rather going to receive that Fortune which he had laft Night mentioned, than actually in Poffeffion of it.

TIME paffing on and the Road together, the Appetites of these two Travellers began to ftrike the Hour of Dining, when Mr. Popkins propofed that Inclination to Mr. Cook, who had no Objection to it at all, only like a young Player who is deeper tinctured with the Probity of the Parts he plays, than the Politicks of the Stage, firft telling Mr. Popkins, that he was a Man of too much Honour to pretend to dine with him without firft acquainting him, that he had no more Money remaining.

THIS the Exciseman told him was no Matter between Friends, that he had fufficient for both, and was determined he should participate; I am within three Days of receiving Thirty thousand Pounds, fays he, and I, fays Cook, of Five hundred a Year and a Benefit.