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
This obstacle being removed (the _Remora_ to our fair promising Fortune)
none were more extold and courted for Wealth and Beauty (rarely seen
together) then my Sister and self; men of all sizes, both of Wit, Estate
and Stature, daily frequented my Fathers House, pretending they came for
the goodness of Wine there vended, till they had got an interest in our
acquaintance, and then they unmaskt their meaning. Several overtures
were made to our Parents, who like good domestick Polititians, seemed to
like, to incourage them to continue coming for their expence sake:
frequently they bespake Dinners, vying who should exceed in prodigality,
thinking thereby to gain esteem, while the old Fox did but laugh at them
in private for their pains. My Mother had her trade at her fingers ends;
for when she would oblige any of them to any treaty, it was but calling
him Son, or Sirrah you are a wag, my _Benjamin_ must have the largest
Portion, _&c._ By this means she chained them to the house, and to
engage them the more, permitted us to bear them company; but fearing
lest we might glut our Idolators by too long staying (for we sooner
surfeit on delicates than courser fare) our Mother would call us,
pretending present business, and would then supply the place her self;
then would they charge afresh, till they had blinded one another. I must
needs say, my Mothers company was deservingly desirable: for though she
had past her ages Æquinox, yet her beauty appeared but a very little
declining. In her youthful dayes she was the wonder of her Sex, and was
so generally talkt of among Beauty-hunters, that our Tavern was never
empty, and happy was he that could procure the drinking of a glass with
her at the Bar, but transported, if they could obtain the favour to have
her company in a room: which for profit she sometimes permitted, and
something else, which my Father winked at gladly, because he could not
find the like expedient to enrich himself. She was comely, tall, and of
a beautious blushing brown; her hair proper to her complexion, neatly
put into curls and folds by Nature: Her face was made up of excellent
parts; as a quick eye and full; her circled brows graceful and big; her
nose not over Roman, with a full mouth; the largeness of the lips
commendable, because plump and red; her dimpled chin (which Nature had
drawn, with a wanton touch of her Pensil) did singularly set out her
looks most comely. Her neck was round, rising, full and fat: her Bodie
well fed, not fat; an Italian Don’s delight. When any Gentlemen came in,
me thinks I now see how she leared out of her inticing Italianated eyes,
able to confound a Saint. In short, her hair was enough to enchant you
into those mazes, but that her looks were so neer, which hooked yours
into her eyebals, full, black and rowling; and when she had you, she
held you there. Neither was she a niggard of those gifts were so
liberally bestowed on her, but communicated a taste thereof to divers;
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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