old Lewis turned out of his paternal estates, and the manfion-house of Clay-pool +? Would not that do thy heart good, to fee thy old friend Nic. Frog, Lord of Clay-pool? then thou and thy wife and children should walk in my gardens, buy toys, drink lemonade, and now and then we should have a country dance.

J. Bull. I love to be plain, I'd as lieve fee myself in Ecclefdown-castle, as thee in Clay-pool. I tell you again, Lewis gives this as a pledge of his fincerity; if you won't ftop proceeding to hear him, I will.

СНА P. XXI.

The rest of Nic's fetches † to keep John out of Ecclefdown-caftle.

WHEN Nic. could not diffuade John by argument,

he tried to move his pity; he pretended to be

fick and like to die, that he should leave his wife and children in a starving condition, if John did abandon him; that he was hardly able to crawl about the room, far lefs capable to look after fuch a troublesome business as this law-fuit, and therefore begged that his good friend would not leave him. When he faw that John was ftill inexorable, he pulled out a cafe knife, with which he used to fnickerfnee, and threatned to cut his own throat. Thrice he aimed the knife to his wind-pipe with a most determined threatning air." What fignifies "life, quoth be, in this languishing condition? It will be "fome pleasure, that my friends will revenge my death

upon this barbarous man, that has been the caufe of "it." All this while John looked fedate and calm, neither offering in the least to snatch the knife, nor ftop his blow, trufting to the tenderness Nic. had for his own perfon: when he perceived, that John was immoveable in his purpofe, he applied himself to Lewis.

"Art thou, quoth he, turned bubble in thy old age,

+ Clay-pool, Paris. Lutetia.

" from

Attempts to hinder the ceffation, and taking poffeffion of Dunkirk.

"from being a fharper in thy youth? What occafion "haft thou to give up Ecclefdown-castle to John Bull ? "his friendship is not worth a rush; give it me, and I'll "make it worth thy while. If thou diflikeft that pro

pofition, keep it thyfelf, I'd rather thou shouldft have "it than he. If thou hearkeneft not to my advice, take "what follows; Efquire South and I will go on with our law-fuit in fpite of John Bull's teeth."

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L. Baboon. Monfieur Bull has used me like a gentleman, and I am refolved to make good my promise, and truft him for the confequences.

Nic. Frog. Then I tell thee thou art an old doating fool With that, Nic. bounced up with a fpring equal to that of one of your nimbleft tumblers or rope-dancers, and fell foul upon John Bull, to fnatch the cudgel be bad in his hand, that he might thwack Lewis with it: John held it fast, so that there was no wrenching it from him. At laft 'Squire South buckled too, to assist his friend Nic.: John halled on one fide, and they two on the other'; fometimes they were like to pull John over; then it went all of a fudden again on John's fide; fo they went feefawing up and down, from one end of the room to the other. Down tumbled the tables, bottles, glaffes, and tobacco-pipes: the wine and the tobacco were all fpilt about the room, and the little fellows were almost trod under foot, till more of the tradesmen joining with Nic. and the 'Squire, John was hardly able to pull against them all, yet would he never quit hold of his trufty cudgel which by the contrary force of two fo great powers broke fhort in his hands. Nic. feized the longer end, and with it began to bastinado old Lewis, who had flunk into a corner, waiting the event of this fquabble. - Nic. came up to him with an infolent menacing air, fo that the old fellow was forced to fkuttle out of the room, and retire behind a dung-cart. He called to Nic. "Thou infolent jackanapes! time was when thou durft "not have used me fo, thou now takeft me unprovided, but, old and infirm as I am, I fhall find a weapon by "and by to chastise thy impudence."

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WHEN

WHEN John Bull had recovered his breath, he began to parly with Nic." Friend Nic. I am glad to find thee "fo ftrong after thy great complaints: really thy moti"ons, Nic. are pretty vigorous for a confumptive man. "As for thy worldly affairs, Nic. if it can do thee any " fervice, I freely make over to thee this profitable law"fuit, and I defire all these gentlemen to bear witness "to this my act and deed. Yours be all the gain, as mine "has been the charges; I have brought it to bear finely: "however, all I have laid out upon it goes for nothing, "thou shalt have it with all its appurtenances, I ask no"thing but leave to go home."

Nic. Frog. The counfel are feed, and all things prepared for a trial, thou shalt be forced to ftand the iffue : it shall be pleaded in thy name as well as mine: go home if thou canft, the gates are fhut, the turnpikes locked *, and the roads barricadoed.

7. Bull. Even these very ways, Nic. that thou toldest me, were as open to me as thyfelf: if I can't pass with my own equipage, what can I expect for my goods and, waggons? I am denied paffage thro' thofe very grounds, that I have purchafed with my own money; however, I am glad I have made the experiment, it may serve me in fome ftead.

JOHN BULL was fo overjoyed that he was going to take poffeffion of Ecclefdown, that nothing could vex him. "Nic, quoth he, I am just a going to leave thee, "caft a kind look upon me at parting."

Nic. looked four and grum, and would not open his mouth.

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7. Bull. "I wish thee all the fuccefs that thy heart can defire, and that thefe honeft gentlemen of the long robe may have their belly full of law."

Nic. could ftand it no longer, but flung out of the room with disdain, and beckoned the lawyers to follow him.

J. Bull. "B'uy, B'uy Nic. not one poor fmile a parting; won't you shake your day-day, Nic. b'uy "Nic." With that John marched out of the common road cross the country to take poffeffion of Ecclefdown. VOL. VIII. CHAP.

A a

Difficulty of the march of part of the army to Dunkirk.

CHAP. XXII.

Of the great joy that John expressed when he got possesfion of Ecclefdown*.

WHEN John had got into his caftle, he feemed like Ulyffes upon his plank after he had been well foufed in falt-water; who, as Homer fays, was as glad as a judge going to fit down to dinner, after hearing a long caufe upon the bench. I dare fay John Bull's joy was equal to that of either of the two; he fkipped from room to room; ran up stairs and down stairs, from the kitchen to the garrets, and from the garrets to the kitchen; he peeped into every cranny; fometimes he admired the beauty of the architecture, and the vast solidity of the mafon's work; at other times he commended the fymmetry and proportion of the rooms. He walked about the gardens: he bathed himself in the canal, swimming, diving, and beating the liquid element, like a milk-white fwan. The hall refounded with the sprightly violin, and the martial hautboy.. The family tript it about and capered, Ilke hail fiones bounding from a marble floor. Wine, ale, and October flew about as plentifully as kennel water: then a frolick took John in the head to call up fome of Nic. Frog's penficners, that had been fo mutinous in his family.

7. Bull. Are you glad to fee your mafter in Ecclefdown-caftle?

Al. Yes, indeed, Sir.

J. Bull. Extremely glad.

All. Extremely glad, Sir.

7. Bull. Swear to me, that you are fo.

THEN they began to damn and fink their fouls to the lowest pit of hell, if any perfon in the world rejoiced more than they did.

7. Bull. Now, hang me if I don't believe you are a parcel of perjured rafcals; however take this bumper of October to your master's health.

THEN

THEH John got upon the battlements, and looking over, he called to Nic. Frog:

"How d'ye do, Nic? D'ye fee where I am, Nic? "I hope the caufe goes on fwimmingly, Nic. When " doft thou intend to go to Clay-pool, Nic? Wilt "thou buy there fome high heads of the newest cut for my daughters? How comeft thou to go with thy

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arm tied up? Has old Lewis given thee a rap over thy "fingers ends? Thy weapon was a good one, when I "wielded it, but the butt-end remains in my hands. I "am fo bufy in packing up my goods, that I have no "time to talk with thee any longer. It would do thy heart "good to fee what waggon-loads I am preparing for "market. If thou wanteft any good office of mine, for "all that has happened, I will ufe thee well Nic. B'uy Nic".