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
roasted so hard till the shell was ready to burn, then did I first show
the Egg to the dog, and then clapt it hot into his mouth holding his
jaws close, this so tormented him by burning, that ever after he could
not indure the sight thereof but if shown run away crying as if he had
been beaten. Thus for the notorious fact your Son must be so sharply
chastized, that when he thinks of stealing he shall remember those
torments he once endured for it, & so frighten him from executing any
such crime. Many more arguments he alledg’d to that purpose, which had
satisfied her well in his severity, had not natural affection
interposed. What to do with me she knew not; wherefore she consulted
with my Master, who told her, _He durst not keep me longer, the Country
people bringing in daily complaints against me_. And to aggravate my
Mother the more, he briefly summ’d up my faults in this manner; having
had justly various accusers who drew up my indictment, Thus.
_Imprimis_, That one of his Maids having crost me (to be reveng’d of
her; knowing she was a drowsie wench, when asleep not easily wak’d) as
she slept by the fire, I took my opportunity, to melt some glew, and
gently toucht the closure of both her eye-lids with a pencil, which well
I knew would lock up her sight. Against the time I intended to wake her
I placed all about her Chairs and Stools. The Plot being ripe, I
pretended her Mistress called; The wench starting up running and rubbing
of her eyes turn’d topsie turvy over the chairs, getting up the ingag’d
her self with the stools and so entangled her self therein, that
indeavouring to free her self her coats acted the parts of Traytors in
discovering the hidden secrets and _Arcanas_ belonging to her sex, and
that with much satisfaction I had seen the execution of my revenge. That
this wench could not be perswaded by any means, but that as a judgement
she was stricken blind for some sin she had committed privately, which
then her conscience did whisper in her ear; and undoubtedly had turn’d
Lunatick had she not been speedily restored to her sight by taking off
the glew, which was done with much difficulty. That he going about to
correct me for this unlucky and mischievous fact, was by me shown a very
_Shitten trick_, which put him into a _stinking condition_, for having
made my self laxative on purpose squirted into his face upon the first
lash given. That being upon boys backs, ready to be whipt, I had often
bit holes in their ears. That another time sirreverencing in a paper,
and running to the window with it, which lookt out into the yard, my
aged Mistress looking up to see who opened the Casement, I had like to
have thrown it into her mouth; however for a time deprived her of that
little sight she had left, that another time I had watcht some lusty
young Girls, that used in Summer nights about twelve a clock to wash
themselves in a small brook near adjacent, and that I had concealed my
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