An honest Vicker, and a kind consort, [102.] That to the Alehouse friendly would resort, To have a game at Tables now and than, Or drinke his pot, as soone as any man: As faire a gamster, and as free from brawl, As ever man should need to play withall: Because his Hostesse pledg'd him not carouse, Rashly in choller did forsweare her house. Taking the glasse, this was the oath he swore, Now by this drinke, I'le nere come hither more. But mightily his Hostesse did repent, For al her guests to the next Ale house went, Following their Vickars steps in everie thing: He led the Parish even by a string. At length his ancient Hostesse did complaine She was undone unlesse he came againe. Desiring certain friends of hers and his, To use a pollicie, which should be this: Because with cunning he should not forsweare him, To save his oath, they on their backs might bear him. Of this good course the Vicker well did thinke, And so they alwayes carried him to drinke. [4.] The Lord _Bacon_ going the Northern Circuit, a Fellow that was try'd for Robbing, was very importunate with the Judge to be favourable to him, telling him he was a kin to his Lordship: Why, how so? said the Judge. Why answered the Fellow, An't please your Lordship, your Name is _Bacon_, and my name is _Hog_, and those two are alike. 'Tis true, said the Judge; but you and I can't be kindred till you are Hang'd, for _Hog_ is never good _Bacon_ till 'tis Hang'd. [26.] Another Story was, That he being in a Low room, with some Gentlemen a drinking a bottle of Ale; he saw the Man of the House open a Bottle, and the Cork flew up with such a Violence, that it strook his Hat off his Head, and after that went through the Cieling of that Room and another Room above that, which was two pair of Stairs high, and kill'd a Man and his Wife as they lay in Bed, and from thence flew up into the Garret, and they could not get it out with a Hammer and Mallet. Sir, says another, to make good your Story, which I saw with my own Eyes, that being with some others in an upper Room, one was then opening a Bottle of Ale, and the Cork then flew up with such a violence thorow the Top of the House, that it broke the Cieling and Tiles also, and kill'd a Kite as he was flying just then over the House; and the hole was so big which the Cork had made, that down fell the Kite thorow the hole, and they, opening the Kite to see where she was wounded, found two great Chickens in her Belly, which they sold to pay for their Drink, and after that, would never drink in any other Room in that House: but I don't know that it ever hapned so agen; for these things, though there be truth in 'em, don't happen every day so.