at it, the fellow has been mad thefe twenty years. With this he flung away. ་་ Then Jack's friends began to hunch and push one another, Why don't you go, and cut the poor fellow down? Why don't you? And why "don't you? Not I, quoth one; Not I, quoth ano"ther; Not I, quoth a third; he may hang till doomsday before I relieve him." Nay, it is credibly reported, that they were fo for from fuccour ing their poor friend in this his difmal circumftance, that Ptschirnfooker and several of his companions went in and pulled him by the legs, and thumped him on the breaft. Then they began to rail at him for the very thing which they had advifed and juftified before, viz. his getting into the old gentlewoman's family and putting on her livery. The keeper, who performed the last office, coming up, found Jack swinging with no life in him; he took down the body gently, and laid it on a bulk, and brought out the "This rope to the company. "gentlemen, is the rope that hanged Jack; what "must be done with it?" Upon which they ordered it to be laid among the curiofities of Gresham college, and it is called Jack's rope to this very day. However, Jack after all had fome fmall tokens of life in him, but lies at this time paft hope of a total recovery, with his head hanging on one fhoulder, without fpeech or motion. The coroner's inqueft, fuppofing him to be dead, brought him in non compos. * Since removed with the royal society into Crane-Court in Fleet Arect. CHAP. The conferences between Don Diego and John Bull. DURING the time of the foregoing tranfactions, Don Diego was entertaining John Bull. D. Diego I hope, Sir, this day's proceeding will convince you of the fincerity of your old friend Diego, and the treachery of Sir Roger 7. Bull. What's the matter now. D. Diego. You have been endeavouring, for feveral years, to have juftice done upon that rogue Jack; but what through the remiffness of constables, juftices, and packed juries, he has always found the means to escape. J Bull. What then?: D. Diego. Confider then, who is your best friend; he that would have brought him to condign punish-ment, or he that has faved him. By my perfuafion Jack had hanged himself, if Sir Roger had not cut: him down. 3. Bull. Who told you, that Sir Roger has done fo? D. Diego: You feem to receive me coldly; me-thinks my fervices deferve a better return. 7. Bull. Since you value yourself upon hanging this poor scoundrel, I tell you, when I have any more hanging work, I'll fend for thee: I have fome better employment for Sir Roger in the mean time, I defire the poor fellow may be looked after. When he first came out of the north country to my family, under the pretended name of Timothy Trim,the fellow feemed to mind his loom and his fpinning-wheel 'till fomebody turned his head; then he grew fo pragmatical, that he took upon Bb 3 him him the government of my whole family: I could never order any thing within or without doors, but he must be always giving his counfel, forfooth ; nevertheless, tell him, I will forgive what is past: and if he would mind his bufinefs for the future, and not meddle out of his own sphere, he will find, that John Bull is not of a cruel difpofition. D. Diego. Yet all your skilful physicians fay, that nothing can recover your mother, but a piece of Jack's liver boiled in her foup. 7. Bull. Thofe are quacks: my mother abhors fuch cannibal's food: fhe is in perfect health at prefent: I would have given many a good pound to have had her fo well fome time ago. There are indeed two or three troublesome old nurfes *, that, becaufe they believe I am tender-hearted, will never let me have a quiet night's reft with knocking me up: "Oh, Sir, your mother is taken extremely ill! "fhe is fallen into a fainting fit! fhe has a great "emptiness, wants fuftenance!" This is only to recommend themselves for their great care: John Bull, as fimple as he is, understands a little of a pulfe. С НА Р. XV. **** The fequel of the meeting at the Salutation.* WHERE I think I left John Bull, fitting between Nic. Frog and Lewis Baboon, with his arms a-kimbo, in great concern to keep Lewis and Nic alunder As watchful as he was, Nic. found the means now and then to steal a whisper, and by New clamours about the danger of the church. * At the congrefs of Utrecht, a cleanly conveyance under the table to flip a fhort note into Lewis's hand; which Lewis as flily put into John's pocket, with a pinch or a jog, to warn him what he was about. John had the curiofity to retire into a corner to perufe these billet doux of Nic's; wherein he found, that Nic. had used great freedoms both with his intereft and reputation. One contained these words: "Dear Lewis, thou "feeft clearly, that this blockhead can never bring "matters to bear: let thee and me talk to night "by ourselves at the Rofe, and I'll give thee fatis"faction.” Another was thus expreffed; "Friend "Lewis, has thy fenfe quite forfaken thee, to make "ull fuch offers? Hold faft, part with nothing, " and I will give thee a better bargain, I'll warrant "thee." 66 In fome of his billets he told Lewis, "That John "Bull was under his guardianship; that the best part of his fervants were at his command; that " he could have John gagged and bound whenever " he pleafed by the people of his own family." In all these epiftles, blockhead, dunce, afs, coxcomb; were the best epithets he gave poor John. In others he threatned, "That he t, Efquire South, and the "reft of the tradefmen, would lay Lewis down 66 upon his back and beat out his teeth, if he did "not retire immediately, and break up the meet"ing." I fancy I need not tell my reader, that John often changed colour as he read, and that his fingers itched to give Nic. a good flap on the chops; but he wifely moderated his choleric temper. "I faved "this fellow, quoth he, from the gallows, when 66 he run away from his last mafter *, because I + Some offers of the Dutch at that time, in order to get the nego tiation into their hands. Threatening that the allies would carry on the war, without the help of the English. The king of Spain, whose yoke the Dutch threw off with the affiftance of the English, thought 66 "thought he was harshly treated: but the rogue was no fooner fafe under my protection, than "he began to lie, pilfer, and steal like the devil †, "When I first set him up in a warm house, he had "hardly put up his fign, when he began to "debauch my best customers from me. Then "it was his conftant practice to rob my fishponds, not only to feed his family, but to trade "with the fishmongers: I connived at the fellow, "till he began to tell me, that they were his as "much as mine. In my manor of Eastcheap†, be❝cause it lay at some distance from conftant in 66 fpection, he broke down my fences, robbed my "orchards, and beat my fervants. When I used to reprimand him for his tricks, he would talk 66 faucily, lye and brazen it out, as if he had done "nothing amifs. Will nothing cure thee of thy "pranks, Nic. quoth I? I fhall be forced fome "time or other to chastise thee. The rogue got 66 up his cane and threatened me, and was well "thwacked for his pains. But I think his beha "viour at this time worst of all; after I have al"moft drowned myfelf to keep his head above 66 water, he would leave me sticking in the mud, "trufting to his goodness to help me out. After I "have beggared myself with his trouble fome law. "fuit, with a pox to him, he takes it in mighty "dudgeon, because I have brought him here to "end matters amicably, and because I won't let "him make me over by deed and indenture as his " lawful cully; which to my certain knowledge he has attempted feveral times. But, after all, canft "thou gather grapes from thorns? Nic. does not "pretend to be a gentleman; he is a tradefman, a felf-feeking wretch; but how cameft thou to +Complaints against the Dutch for incroachments in trade, fishery, East Indies, &c, The war with the Dutch on these accounts, "bear |