The English Rogue: Described in the Life of Meriton Latroon, a Witty ExtravagantHead, Richard
General
The English Rogue: Described in the Life of Meriton Latroon, a Witty Extravagant
Head, Richard
Rogues and vagabonds -- England -- Fiction
Be sure you ingeniously contrive a Watch-word to your selves that may
occasion no suspition; as, we are like to have a fair day or a foul,
according as the weather is like to prove; which being nam’d, let every
man fall to his work; those that are strongest at the grasp, and have
hearts accordingly, let them seize first, alwayes duly observing this,
to catch the bridle by the left hand, and with the right draw your
Sword. If he or they resist, the one prevents his flight, the other
cuts, and so cools his courage. The weaker sorts charge is to bid stand,
and confronting the Horses head, present a Pistol fit for to discharge.
If they deny delivering patiently what they have, but contend, you must
wave all niceties, but cut them soundly; if that will not qualifie their
foolish presumption, be sure you fire not without doing Execution, and
then with all speed fly, after you have with expedition taken the
pillage of the field.
If you are pursu’d by an Hue and Cry, obscure your self in some place or
other, and let it pass by you, and then to be sure it will never
overtake you. If a prize comes by, or in your sight, if up the Hill,
meet him; if down, follow close at the heels, and having more in company
then your self, let each man single out his choice which he likes to
deal with: the coast being clear, fall up all to your close order and
side, be sure that you joyntly seize your prize. But here observe, let
not any baseness of spirit unman you. For (_speaking to me_) nature hath
bestow’d on you the full proportion of limbs, and thou seem’st a man of
courage, suitable to the largeness of thy manly size, but be not
surpriz’d with fear or cowardise if the assailed boldly assaults thee.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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