The English Rogue: Continued in the Life of Meriton Latroon, and Other Extravagants: The Second PartHead, Richard
General
The English Rogue: Continued in the Life of Meriton Latroon, and Other Extravagants: The Second Part
Head, Richard
Rogues and vagabonds -- England -- Fiction
My Wife had a Father-in-Law who was a Citizen and a monyed man; him I
got into favor with and by my free entertainment of him, won him to me;
for he having left off trading in _London_, lived some miles off, and
coming to _London_ would often visit me, where I still welcomed him, and
attended him abroad when he went to receive Rents, or any Moneys, and
assisted him in all such things that I could, with much diligence. My
stock being very low, I borrowed Moneys of him to trade with, and was
very punctual in my payment, so that he put so much confidence in me, as
to lend me 100_l._ and more I might have had, had I requested it, as he
and his wife (who was my wives Mother) often visited me at my house, so
at convenient times I was a guest at theirs in the Countrey? where I
associated my self with the best Gentlemen of the place, winning upon
the affections of all; by my facetious and pleasant converse. I had
great hopes of raising my fortunes by my wives Mother, who I hoped would
out-live her husband, and then, at her death be able and willing to give
me good part of her estate, but it fell out otherwise, for she fell sick
and dyed before him, but it was my good luck to be there, and my wife
being still near her, she gave her some Rings and other things that were
considerable.
The old man my Father-in-Law being desirous to bury his wife at _London_
according to her request went up with us, and being somewhat sick
before, so soon as his wife was buried, was so surprized with a
distemper, that he took his bed, and after ten weeks sickness dyed at my
house, during his sickness I bethought my self of what advantage I might
make it, and endeavoured to please him in all I might, but he having two
sons, I could not expect much of the estate, but was resolved by hook or
by crook to have a considerable share, and to that end I knew no better
way then to divide the two Brothers and put them at difference. The
eldest was a married man, and though of an easie temper yet I knew was
too honest to be wrought on to do any unhandsome action, the youngest
being a young bluff fellow, was apt to believe any thing I should
perswade him to, wherefore at first I possest him with a jealousie
against his brother, and that he would defraud him of his share of the
estate, if he did not take heed and follow my directions, which if he
did, I would put him into a way to command his elder brother in every
thing.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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