quickly fee a better thing than all that. What fhouldst thou think to find old Lewis turned out of his paternal eftates, and the manfion-house of Clay pool? Would not that do thy heart good,. to fee thy old friend Nic. Frog. Lord of Claypool? then thou and thy wife and children fhould walk in my gardens, buy toys, drink lemonade, and now and then we should have a country dance.

7. Bull. I love to be plain, I'd as lieve fee myself in Ecclefdown-caftle, 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, will..

CHA P. XXI.

The rest of Nic's fetches ↑ to keep John out of Ecclef

W

down-caftle

HEN 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 ftarving condition, it John did abandon him; that he was hardly able to crawl about the room, far lefs capable to look after fuch a troublesome bufinefs as this law-fuit, and therefore begged that his good friend would not leave him. When he faw that John was still » inexorable, he pulled out a cafe-knife, with which he used to fnickerfnee, and threatened to cut his own throat. Thrice he aimed the knife to his wind pipe with a moft determined threatning air,

Clay-pool, Paris. Lutetia.

† Attempts to hinder the ceffation, and taking poff:ffion of Dunkirk. "What

Dd 3

Part II, "What fignifies life, quoth he, in this languishing "condition? It will be fome pleasure, that my "friends will revenge my death upon this barba66 rous man, that has been the caufe of it." All this while John looked fedate and calm, neither offering in the leaft to fnatch 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 purpose, he applied himself to Lewis.

"Art thou, quoth he, turned bubble in thy old age, from being a fharper in thy youth? What "occafion haft thou to give up Ecclefdown-castle 66 to John Bull ? his friendship is not worth a rush; "give it me, and I'll make it worth thy while. "If thou dislikeft that propofition, keep it thyself, "I'd rather thou shouldst have it than he. If "thou harkeneft 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."

L. Baboon. Monfieur Bull has ufed me like a gentleman, and I am refolved to make good my promife, 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 nimblest tumblers or rope dancers, and fell foul upon John Bull, to fnatch the cudgel he had 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 affift his friend Nic. John haled on one fide, and they two on the other; fometimes they were like to pull John over; then it went all of a sudden again on John's fide; fo they went fee-fawing up and down, from one end of the room to the otherDown tumbled the tables, bottles, glaffes, and to

The army.

bacco

bacco-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 cal led 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 chaftife "thy impudence."

When John Bull had recovered his breath, he began to parley with Nic." Friend Nic. I am glad, "to find thee fo ftrong after thy great complaints : "really thy motions, Nic. are pretty vigorous "for a confumptive man. As for thy wordly af"fairs, Nic. if it can do thee any fervice, I freely "make over to thee this profitable law-fuit, and I "defire all thefe gentlemen to bear witnefs 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 86 goes for nothing, thou fhalt have it with all its "appurtenances, I ask nothing but leave to go "home."

Nic. Frog. The counsel are fee'd, and all things prepared for a trial, thou shalt be forced to ftand the iffue; it fhall be pleaded in thy name as well as mine: go home if thou canft, the gates are fhut,

The feparation of the army.

the

Part II the turnpikes locked *, and the roads barricadoed.

7. Bull. Even these very ways, Nic. that thou toldeft me, were as open to me as thyself: if I can't pafs 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 ferve me in some stead.

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.'

66

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

7. Buil. I wish thee all the fuccefs that thy "heart can defire, and that these honeft gentle-"men 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.

7. Bull, " B'uy, B'uy, Nic. not one poor smile

at 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.

* Difficulty of the march of part of the army to Dunkirk,

CHAP.

GHA P. XXII.

Of the great joy that John expreffed when he got poffef fion of Ecclefdown

WH

Hen 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 skipped from room to room; ran up ftairs and down ftairs, from the kitchen to the gar rets, and from the garrets to the kitchen; he peeped into every cranny; fometimes he admired the beauty of the architecture, and the vaft folidity of the mafon's work; at other times he commended the fymmetry and proportion of the rooms. He walked about the gardens: he bathed himfelf in the canal, fwimming, 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, like hail-ftones bounding from a marble floor. Wine, ale, and October flew about as plentifully as kennel water : then a frolic took John in the head to call up fome of Nic. Frog's penfioners, that had been fo mutinous in his family.

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

All. Yes, indeed, Sir.

7. Bull. Extremely glad? All. Extremely glad, Sir.

* Dunkirk.

7. Bull.