The Fleet: Its Rivers, Prison, and MarriagesAshton, John
History
The Fleet: Its Rivers, Prison, and Marriages
Ashton, John
Fleet Prison (London, England); Fleet, River (England)
"Too generous Man! but 'tis our hapless Fate
In all Conditions, to be wise too late;
For, even in Prison, those who have been free,
Will shew, if able, Generosity;
Yet find, too soon, when lavish of their Store,}
How hard, when gone, it is to come at more; }
And every Artifice in vain explore. }
Some Messages Abroad, by Runners send.
Some Letters write to move an absent Friend;
And by Submission, having begg'd a Crown,
In one night's Revel here they'll kick it down.[140]
'Tis true, this one Excuse they have indeed,
When others _Cole it_,[141] they as freely _bleed_;[142]
When the Wind's fair, and brings in Ships with Store[143]
Each spends in turn, and trusts to Fate for more.
* * * * *
"The future Chums and Chamberlain descend
The Dirt[144] knot Stairs, and t'wards the kitchen bend;
Which gain'd, they find a merry Company,
Listening to Tales (from _Smart_) of Baudry,
All introduced with awkward Simile,[145]
Whose Applications miss the Purpose pat.
But in the Fire now burns th' unheeded Fat,
Whose sudden Blaze brings L--nd--r[146] roaring in;
Then _Smart_ looks foolish, and forsakes his Grin.
The laughing Audience alter, too, their Tone,
For who can smile, that sees Tom L--nd--r frown?
He, magisterial rules the panic Cell,
And rivals _Belzebub_,--in looking well:
Indignant now, he darts malicious Eyes,
While each Dependant from the Kitchen flies;
Leaves _Smart_ to combat with his furious Ire,
Who heeds him not, but strives to clear the Fire;
Blowing and stirring still, no Pains he spares,
And mute remains, while _Major Domo_ swears;
Who bellows loud Anathemas on _Smart_,
And the last Curse he gives is D--n your Heart;
His trembling Lips are pale, his Eyeballs roll;
Till, spent with Rage, he quits him with a Growl.
"Now, as our new-come Guest observ'd this Scene,
(As odd an one, perhaps, as could be seen)
He first on _Smart_, next on his Master gaz'd,
And at the two extreams seem'd much amaz'd;
Which _Smart_ perceiving, says in sober Mood, }
Sir, I've a thousand Times his Fury stood; }
But, yet, the Man tho' passionate, is good; }
I never speak when he begins to bawl,
For, should I swear like him, the House would fall."
Here follow two or three pages of but little interest to the reader and
the Story continues:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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