the other gentlemen and clergy contributed according to their different
ranks. Sir William then ordered him to go to his house and tell the
butler to entertain him, which he accordingly did, and set himself down
with great comfort.
Having heard that young Lord Clifford, his first cousin (who had just
returned from his travels abroad), was at his seat at Callington, about
four miles from Bridgewater, he resolved to pay him a visit. In his way
thither resided parson Carson, who, being one whom nature had made up in
a hurry without a heart, Mr. Carew had never been able to obtain
anything off him, even under the most moving appearance of distress, but
a small cup of drink. Stopping now in his way, he found the parson was
gone to Lord Clifford's; but, being saluted at the door by a fine black
spaniel, with almost as much crustiness as he would have been had his
master been at home, he thought himself under no stronger obligation of
observing the strict laws of honour, than the parson did of hospitality;
and therefore soon charmed the crossness of the spaniel and made him
follow him to Bridgewater.
Having secured the spaniel and passed the night merrily at Bridgewater,
he set out the next morning for Lord Clifford's, and in his way called
upon the parson again, who very crustily told him he had lost his dog,
and supposed some of his gang had stolen him; to which Mr. Carew very
calmly replied, "What was he to his dog, or what was his dog to him? if
he would make him drink it was well, for he was very dry." At last, with
the use of much rhetoric, he got a cup of small drink; then, taking
leave of him, he went to the Red Lion, in the same parish, where he
stayed some time. In the meantime, down ran the parson to my Lord
Clifford's, to acquaint him that Mr. Carew was in the parish and to
advise him to take care of his dogs; so that Mr. Carew, coming down
immediately after, found a servant with one dog in his arms, and another
with another, here one stood whistling and another calling, and both my
lord and his brother were running about to seek after their favourites.
Mr. Carew asked my lord what was the meaning of this hurry, and if his
dogs were cripples, because he saw several carried in the servants'
arms, adding, he hoped his lordship did not imagine he was come to steal
any of them. Upon which his lordship told him, that parson Carson had
advised him to be careful, as he had lost his spaniel but the day
before. "It may be so," replied he, "the parson knows but little of me,
or the laws of our community, if he is ignorant that with us ingratitude
is unknown, and the property of our friends always sacred." His
lordship, hearing this, entertained him very handsomely, and both
himself and his brother made him a present.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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