The Bath Road: History, Fashion, & Frivolity on an Old Highway — John Shaqi
The Bath Road: History, Fashion, & Frivolity on an Old HighwayHarper, Charles G. (Charles George)
History
The Bath Road: History, Fashion, & Frivolity on an Old Highway
Harper, Charles G. (Charles George)
Bath Road (England); England -- Description and travel; England -- Social life and customs
"He, with his Squadron, overtakes a Coach which they had set over Night,
having Intelligence of a Booty of four hundred Pounds in it. In the Coach
was a Knight, his Lady, and only one Serving-maid, who, perceiving five
Horsemen making up to them, presently imagined that they were beset; and
they were confirmed in this Apprehension by seeing them whisper to one
another, and ride backwards and forwards. The Lady, to shew that she was
not afraid, takes a Flageolet out of her pocket and plays. Du Vall takes
the Hint, plays also, and excellently well, upon a Flageolet of his own,
and in this Posture he rides up to the Coachside. 'Sir,' says he to the
Person in the Coach, 'your Lady plays excellently, and I doubt not but
that she dances as well. Will you please to walk out of the Coach and let
me have the Honour to dance one Currant with her upon the Heath?' 'Sir,'
said the Person in the Coach, 'I dare not deny anything to one of your
Quality and good Mind. You seem a Gentleman, and your Request is very
reasonable.' Which said, the Lacquey opens the Boot, out comes the knight,
Du Vall leaps lightly off his horse and hands the Lady out of the Coach.
They danced, and here it was that Du Vall performed Marvels; the best
Masters in London, except those that are French, not being able to shew
such footing as he did in his great French Riding Boots. The Dancing being
over (there being no violins, Du Vall sung the Currant himself) he waits
on the Lady to her coach. As the knight was going in, says Du Vall to him,
'Sir, you have forgot to pay the Musick.' 'No, I have not,' replies the
knight, and, putting his Hand under the Seat of the Coach, pulls out a
hundred Pounds in a Bag, and delivers it to him, which Du Vall took with a
very good grace, and courteously answered, 'Sir, you are liberal, and
shall have no cause to repent your being so; this Liberality of yours
shall excuse you the other Three Hundred Pounds,' and giving the Word,
that if he met with any more of the Crew he might pass undisturbed, he
civilly takes his leave of him. He manifested his agility of body by
lightly dismounting off his horse, and with Ease and Freedom getting up
again when he took his Leave; his excellent Deportment by his incomparable
Dancing and his graceful manner of taking the hundred Pounds."
When this hero had gone the inevitable way of his fellows, he was buried
with great pomp and circumstance in the church of St. Paul, Covent Garden,
with a set of eulogistic verses for his epitaph. Unfortunately, the old
church was destroyed by fire and the epitaph with it.
[Sidenote: _HIGHWAY MURDERS_]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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