This Souldier was a Gentleman of a good house, though fallen to decay, whose education might have renderd him capable of considerable employments, had not his Heroick inclination to the Wars taken his thoughts clearly off from every thing else. I appointed a day for this man of war, to attend me some few miles into the Countrey, having got leave of his Captain we went together, in the mean time my Hostess was spinning of Hemp, and by return had finisht a Rope for her self and Husband: and thus it was. A single Gentleman came as a Traveller to lodge in her Inn, having set up his Horse, and his Portmantua carried to his Chamber, he knocks for his Landlady, who coming up to him he acquaints her that he thought he should make a stay for two or three days, and therefore delivers into her hands a bag of one hundred pounds, desiring her to lay it up safe for him, she took the Bag and promised to keep it safe, and so she did from him: The Devil was one of her Privy Councel who advised her to perswade her Husband to murder the Gentleman for his money, which thus they cunningly effected as they thought, but he that did set them at work will pay them their wages. At midnight she and her Husband entred the Gentlemans Chamber through a private door which was hid behind the hangings, a Sally-port for a thousand Rogueries they committed; mine Host with a Pillow he had brought with him, and the assistance of his wife, smothered the Gentleman as he lay in his bed, having so done, and putting on his Cloathes, they laid him down into the Stable, and there with a Rope ty’d to a beam, they hung him up, and so went to Bed; In the morning the Hostler going into the Stable found a Gentleman there hanging, upon sight whereof he ran into the house with an Outcry, which quickly reacht the ears of the Neighbourhood, so that in an instant the house was filled with people, every one giving his Verdict as his imagination prompted him; the general Vogue was that for some discontent he had thus desperately made away with himself. This old Beldam had the impudence to come into the Throng of the people, and there declare her Hypocritical sorrow for the death of her Guest, protesting that she would have given an hundred pounds with all her heart, that no such thing had hapned in her house. I took notice, said the Host, of his extraordinary melancholy last night, and reproving him for his unsociableness, he clapt his hand upon his breast, and with erected eyes to heaven, he groaned so loud and long that I thought it would have been his last. This prodigious lye would have wrought wonderfully upon the belief of the People, being a strong Circumstance of his despair or great discontent, had not this unlucky boy which I told you of before, cryed out, true good people, I heard him groan too, but it was when my Master and Mistress were hanging him up in the Stable, what they had been doing with him before I know not, but I saw them as I lay under the manger bring in his body, which