Having well recruited his pocket by this stratagem, he left Bristol
next day, and travelled towards Bath, acting the madman all the way till
he came to Bath: as soon as he came there, he inquired for Dr. Coney's,
and being directed to his house, found two brother mendicants at the
door. After they had waited some time, the servant brought out each of
them a halfpenny, for which his brother mendicants were very thankful.
But Carew gave his halfpenny to one of them; then knocking at the door,
and the maid coming out again, "Tell your master," says he, "I am not a
halfpenny man, but that my name is Bamfylde Moore Carew, king of the
mendicants;" which being told, the doctor came out with one of his
daughters and gave him sixpence and a mug of drink, for which he
returned them thanks.
Mr. Carew happening to be in the city of Wells on a Sunday, was told the
bishop was to preach that morning, on which he slipped on a black
waistcoat and morning gown, and ran out to meet the bishop as he was
walking in procession, and addressed himself to him as a poor unhappy
man, whose misfortunes had turned his brains; which the bishop hearing
gave him half-a-crown.
It was in Newcastle-upon-Tyne that he became enamoured with the daughter
of Mr. Glady, an eminent apothecary and surgeon there. This young lady
had charms sufficient to captivate the heart of any man susceptible of
love; and they made so deep an impression upon him, that they wholly
effaced every object which before had created any desire in him, and
never permitted any other to raise them afterwards; for, wonderful to
tell, we have, after about thirty years' enjoyment, seen him lament her
occasional absence, almost with tears, and talk of her with all the
fondness of one who has been in love with her but three days. Our hero
tried all love's persuasions with his fair one in an honourable way,
and, as his person was very engaging and his appearance genteel, he did
not find her greatly averse to his proposals. As he was aware that his
being of the community of gipsies might prejudice her against him,
without examination, he passed with her for the mate of a collier's
vessel, in which he was supported by Captain Lawn, in whose vessel they
set sail; and the very winds being willing to favour these happy lovers,
they had an exceedingly quick passage to Dartmouth, where they landed.
In a few days they set out for Bath, where they lawfully solemnized
their nuptials with great gaiety and splendour; and nobody at that time
could conjecture who they were, which was the cause of much speculation
and false surmises.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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