The Notorious Impostor (1692); Diego Redivivus (1692)Settle, Elkanah
General
The Notorious Impostor (1692); Diego Redivivus (1692)
Settle, Elkanah
Morrell, William, -1692 -- Fiction
Our _Don John_ is absolutely captivated, and plies her home with all
the Rhetorick that Love can afford. Our man _Tom_ in the meanwhile but
very modestly, is whispering amongst his Mates, the lower Tire of the
Family, the Servants, what a Worthy Gentleman his Master is, being a
Rich _Norfolk_ Gentleman (a pretty large stride from _Bathe_) of 500 a
year. This Narrative passes pretty well amongst the shallower pates,
the Chamberlain, the Tapster, the Hostler, and the rest of the inferior
Domesticks; but our hardfaith'd young Mistress of the house, whither
bit before, or naturally not over-credulous, does as good as declare,
That her Principles are to look before she leaps. Our _Norfolk_ Suitor
finds his Addresses very acceptable, but still with a reserve, Provided
he be the Man he appears. He plainly sees, that the Girl, upon good
Grounds is very pliable, but she's a little past the years of being
dandled and kist out of her Reason: He or any man else (any Tooth good
Barber) with Honour and Estate may go far with her; but Demonstration
is the only Argument that must carry her Cause. As many years as she
has lived (or at least past for) a Maid, she is not so hard set, but
she can tarry till Substantial Testimony (as far off as _Norfolk_ lies)
can make out the Lands and Tenements, before she consents to an
Inclosure. Our Spark therefore put to his last Trumps, finds this last
a craggier and more difficult Enterprize than any he had ever yet
encountred; however, thinking it a very great scandal to his Wit, to
lie down before her, and shamefully for want of Ammunition, be forced
to raise the Siege, he sets all his Brains at work for one last Mine to
blow her up; or if that take not, he is resolved to quit the Field. In
a day or two after, he begins to be Melancholly and indisposed; during
this fit, he is very cold in his Love, and applies him to Religious
Books, talks much of very odd Dreams he has had, till at last he takes
his Bed. Physitians are sent for, whether they found any real
indications of sickness or no, or acquiesced to his own Declaration of
the Pains he felt, no Medicinal Application was wanting. His Distemper
increasing, he desires a Man of Law to be sent for, accordingly a
Scrivener of the Town is called, who draws up his Will, in which he
gives away about Three Thousand pounds in several Legacies, leaving his
Nephew his full and sole Executor. The Will is sealed up, and delivered
to his Man _Tom_; and all the cognizance taken of his Mistress, is only
10_l._ to buy her Mourning. Next a Man of God is sent for, and all the
necessary preparations for a Man of another World are made. His
Conscience setled, and his Viaticum for his long Journey most devoutly
furnisht. But it pleases Fate, or the Sick man rather, in some few days
after, to give some small symptoms of amendment, and to shorten the
matter, in Eight or Ten days time he is pretty well recovered, and the
next talk is of fancying his own Native _Norfolk_ Air for perfecting
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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