walked a little faster than before, I had dropt my Gentleman who sauntred behind. The next day about the time that mortals whet their Knives on Thresholds, and Shooe-soles, I prepared to go to dinner to my friends, and again by the way I was accosted by this gentile fellow, who had the day before followed me, and now he did so again; and when I came to my friends house and entred, there he did so too, and with as much confidence as if he had been of great acquaintance with the Inviter; he sate down among other Guests that were there, Dinner was soon after brought in, and there being several Guests much victuals, and much variety was served at the Table, my strange Gentleman did eat as heartily and talk as boldly as any there, and I thought him to be one of the Inviters acquaintance, and he supposed he was my friend which I had brought with me; but he proved to be very no good friend to the man of the house, for waiting his opportunity he went to the Cupboards head which stood in a convenient place, and clapping a piece of plate worth ten pounds under his Cloak, he walked off _incognito_. I soon after missed him, and my friend missed my friend as he told me, but it was not much longer e’re the Plate was missing, and although private search was made, yet it was not found, and our friend being gone, the Inviter missing none of the Guests but him, asked me for him, but when I told him he was no friend nor acquaintance of mine, he soon knew which way his Plate went. Thus (said he) he thinking him to be my friend, and I thinking him to be his, this fellow had the conveniency of doing this injury; but, continued he, I soon understood that it was a usual matter to play such pranks and that more considerable, and that withal a very bold confidence, unusual with other Nations, and upon second thoughts I remember I had seen this fellow among those who had my Cloak, but it was too late now to remember it, and it had been unsafe then to have taken any notice of him, remembring the Charge had been given me. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [Illustration] CHAP. XIX. _Two notorious Rogues robb’d a Church by the help of two Fryers habits they had murther’d; afterwards they robb’d a Merchant of Silks, Plate, &c. By a notable stratagem they laid for the purpose in an Inn next adjacent, they ransack’d a Linnen-drapers Shop in the night by conveying a boy into it being enclos’d within a supposed Bayl of Goods, who proved the Key to let them in to perfect their design; by counterfeiting a Gentlemans key, they stole from him six hundred Crowns, and murdering him flead his face that he might not be known, but were notwithstanding by a miraculous providence discovered and executed, who being penitent at their death, confest many notorious villanies. A notable trick a Gentleman puts upon a Pick pocket._