John Cheap, the Chapman's Library. Vol. 1: Comic and Humorous: The Scottish Chap Literature of Last Century, ClassifiedGraham, Dougal
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John Cheap, the Chapman's Library. Vol. 1: Comic and Humorous: The Scottish Chap Literature of Last Century, Classified
Graham, Dougal
Chapbooks, Scottish; English literature -- 18th century; Graham, Dougal, 1724-1779; Popular literature -- Scotland
It was about this time he became acquainted with the Hon. Sir
William W----m, in the following manner:--Being at Watchett, in
Somersetshire, near the seat of that gentlemen, he resolved to
pay him a visit. Putting on, therefore, a jacket and a pair of
trousers, he made the best of his way to Sir William’s seat, and
luckily met Sir William, Lord Bolingbroke, and several other
gentlemen and clergy, with some commanders of vessels, walking in
the park. Carew approached Sir William with a great deal of seeming
fearfulness and respect; and with much modesty acquainted him he
was a Silverton man, that he was the son of one of his tenants
named Moore--had been to Newfoundland, and in his passage homeward,
the vessel was run down by a French ship in a fog, and only he
and two more were saved; but being put on board an Irish vessel,
were carried into Ireland, and from thence landed at Watchett. Sir
William hearing this, asked him a great many questions concerning
the inhabitants of Silverton, who were most of them his own
tenants, and of the principal gentlemen in the neighbourhood;
all whom Carew was well acquainted with, and therefore gave
satisfactory answers. Sir William at last asked him, if he knew
Bickley, and if he knew the parson thereof? Carew replied, that he
knew him very well, and so indeed he might, as it was no other than
his own father! Sir William then enquired what family he had, and
whether he had not a son named Bamfylde, and what became of him.
“Your honour,” replied he, “means the beggar and dog-stealer--I
don’t know what has become of him, but it is a wonder if he is not
hanged by this time.” “No, I hope not,” replied Sir William, “I
should be glad, for his family’s sake, to see him at my house.”
Having satisfactorily answered many other questions, Sir William
generously relieved him with a guinea, and Lord Bolingbroke
followed his example; 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.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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