The English Rogue: Continued in the Life of Meriton Latroon, and Other Extravagants: The Fourth PartHead, Richard
General
The English Rogue: Continued in the Life of Meriton Latroon, and Other Extravagants: The Fourth Part
Head, Richard
Rogues and vagabonds -- England -- Fiction
_At_ Salisbury _he comes acquainted with a young man, who relates to him
the_ Breviate _of his life, and instructs him in the most usual Games
at Dice, with all the subtle deceivers that belong to them, and the
dangers that attend them, with a short account of their
Practitioners._
My Reputation in this City increased daily, so that I was now at liberty
to pick and choose my company, I mean from the middle sort of people,
which I knew how to delude, whereas I was not so ignorant, but that men
of better breeding and learning would by my discolouring, Sea-faring
hands, and illiterate tongue find out the imposture of my crafty
pretences. I had a sufficient stock of confidence to manage those
natural parts which some (flatteringly I doubt) highly commended. The
younger sort of People were the Persons I selected to associate my self
withal, and had in that little time gain’d so large an interest in them,
that he offered me too little, I should have thought, that would think
to buy my propriety therein for an hundred a year. Hunting and Hawking
were my dayly Recreations; when we returned home, Drinking and Whoring
were our nightly exercises; and because I was a stranger as I had the
preheminence in most things, so I always paid the least share of any in
the reckoning.
* * * * *
There was one strange Gentleman who usually accompanied us, whom I
particularly observed to have more than common qualifications;
quick-witted, well spoken, sung incomparably, but had the repute of a
notorious Gamester; and well he might, for he had bit both City and
Countrey of considerable sums, so that now being generally known for a
Rook, none durst play with him, yet fancied his company very much. This
Gentleman I singled out, and discourst him throughly as to every thing:
And that I might engage him to a greater freedom, I forged several lies,
charging him with secrecy; this seeming unbosoming my self obliged him
to give me an account of what he was, and for what reasons he came there
in this manner.
* * * * *
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.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account