The English Rogue: Continued in the Life of Meriton Latroon, and Other Extravagants, Comprehending the most Eminent Cheats of Both Sexes: The Third PartHead, Richard
General
The English Rogue: Continued in the Life of Meriton Latroon, and Other Extravagants, Comprehending the most Eminent Cheats of Both Sexes: The Third Part
Head, Richard
Rogues and vagabonds -- England -- Fiction
This out-cry so startled my Gentleman in bed, that not enduring to hear
his Land-lady so grosly abused, got up, and closing with him, threw him;
and having no other weapons, but their fists, pounded one another to
some purpose. The Woman fearing what mischief might ensue, put her head
out at the window, and cryed Murder as loud as she could bawl; the Watch
(hearing murder cryed out) came running to the house with all speed (not
dreaming they should see again that Spirit which had so lately frighted
them) and perceiving a great bustle in the house, and the same horrid
noise continuing, they broke open the doors, and entring, found two men
scuffling in their shirts, having blooded one the other sufficiently
(this bleeding excused very well the other blood that came from the
firked-back and breech of my Gallant) I say, finding them in this bloody
condition, they doubted they had injured one another with some sharp
instrument; they needed not to search farther than their hands, having
neither of them more cloathes to conceal anything than what modesty
commanded. Notwithstanding they were parted by the Watch, yet they could
not hold their hands off one another; which caused the Watch to
interpose again, and now they resolved to secure them that night (from
further mischieving one the other) at the Watch-houses, and so commanded
them to put on their Cloaths; which the one quickly did, but the other
could not. It would have been worth all my revenge to have seen in what
confusion he stood, at that word of command, or to have known what the
watch-men thought when they saw their Prisoner could finde no Cloaths.
Though their wonder was great, yet they resolved to have their curiosity
resolved; and therefore askt him, where were his cloaths, and how he
come, or how he could be without them? by the way, surely there was not
much wit in that Constable and his Watch: for had they had any, they
might presently have concluded (from the posture they found those
Gentlemen in) that they were a couple of mendicant Poets, who had but
one suit of apparrel between them, that when the one went abroad, a
wheedling, the other was forc’d to lye a bed a staring; and disputing
who should next scout abroad to find out the Enemies of famine, and not
agreeing upon the point, fell together by the ears. But to return where
I left of, the Constable having interrogated him as aforesaid, he
(endeavouring to excuse himself, and palliate the scuruy usage of his
revengeful Mistriss) answered him, that walking that after noon, it was
his mischance, by a push of that Gentleman they found him fighting with,
to fall into a _Common-house_, (Pox on his witty allusion) and that
having no suit than that, he intended to have lain in bed till it had
been cleansed and dried. That the Gentleman aforesaid would not let him
rest, but came into his Chamber, and with scoffing and irritating
expressions, provok’d him to rise, and endeavour to be rid of his
trouble.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account