I waited on a mercer on Ludgate-hill to cheapen some silks for waistcoats, with sattins, and some for gowns; I requested of the mercer to make a bill of parcels, put them up, and send his servant with me to my lodgings in Pall-mall; which being done and come there, on opening the bundle, told the servant there wanted a piece of sattin, and sent him immediately home for it: The bill amounted to forty-three pounds, and the parcel heavy, yet I easily (in the interval of the servant’s departure and return) found means to walk off with all. I left an answer on the bill of parcels which was left upon the table, that my judgment was not sufficient for such a large sum, without advice whether I should pay him at his return, or never. I went directly to Mr. Howard’s, in Long-lane, Smithfield, and sold the whole parcel for eighteen pounds; telling me, any quantity brought to him he would buy. This gave me great encouragement to continue in the mercers business: I served several other mercers in the same manner. Not long after this I went to a gentleman in Long-acre, hired a chariot and pair of horses, to go to Windsor, intending to stay a fortnight; accordingly I set off, and stayed pretty near the time agreed on; I sent my servant to Eton, with a view of defrauding my landlord, and for this purpose asked him for twenty guineas, with which he very readily complied; the pretext was to purchase a pair of horses: having thus succeeded, I slipped on one side, and set off for London, leaving the man, chariot and horses to come at their leisure. The next day I sent for a sword-cutler, to bring me half a dozen swords to my own lodgings in the Hay-market, that I might take my choice in variety, but brought never a cut and thrust, I sent him back for some; and when he was gone, I took a walk out with the half dozen swords, with an intention never more to return. I then took lodgings in Duke’s court, St. Martin’s lane, where I had not been long, but I sent the servant of the house to a jeweller, to bring me a variety of rings, the jeweller immediately sent one of his servants with some of all sorts; no sooner were they under my eye but I fixed on two, set with diamonds; I told the man, as I was no judge of their value, he would give me leave to shew them to a friend at next door, he readily assented, and so left the honest servant for his own amusement in my new lodgings: for I used to take a lodging one day, and serve a tradesman in this manner, and leave it the next.