The Notorious Impostor (1692); Diego Redivivus (1692)Settle, Elkanah
General
The Notorious Impostor (1692); Diego Redivivus (1692)
Settle, Elkanah
Morrell, William, -1692 -- Fiction
Let it suffice that some time after all these three successive
Adventures, the poor _Ludlow_ VVife comes up to _London_, being the
last place she has to make her quest after this Impostor and Monster,
for those are the gentlest Names her Sufferings and Resentments can
give him. She has a great Opinion that _Newgate_ or _Newgate_ Roll, or
some other such Chronicles of his Renown will give her some light into
his Life and Fortune, and perhaps the Justice of Heaven afford her a
sight of him at least, if not a power to execute Heavens and her just
Vengeance on so egregious a Reprobate.
Her Inn being at _Holborn_ Bridge, she lights into the Company of a
good Motherly VVoman just come from _Oxfordshire_; the sorrow in so
young a Face, and the swoln Eyes which were not yet dryed, the Fountain
being indeed inexhaustible, the Curiosity of the Elder Traveller made
bold to ask her the cause of so doleful a look, &c. The young one (who
now had no Reserves) plainly told her whole sufferings, to which the
Matron replyed, Alas young VVoman, what are your griefs to mine? I have
been many years the VVife of the most Infamous Miscreant that the Earth
ever bore; deserted and abandoned by the wickedest of Men, after long
years of Honest and Loyal Fidelity to his Bed, and exposed to perish
(which you, thanks to able Friends, need not fear) _&c._ with a great
deal more bitter Invectives against him. Till at last upon further
conferring of Notes, and describing of Characters and Persons they came
to jump together, and found 'emselves both abused by the very same
Monster, the eldest being indeed his old _Banbury_ Wife. What Amazement
this Accident produced may easily be conjectured, it will be enough to
tell you that the Anguish of both their Souls, and the Bitterness of
Gall on each side made 'em Swear an inviolable Friendship, determining
to search (if possible) the whole World, to hunt down this Devil.
Accordingly they take a Lodging a little higher in _Holborn_, where
making no secret of both their hard cases, they open their whole Souls
to their new Landlady to engage her assistance in the Quarrel. The
Landlady Transported at both their Narrations fell upon her Knees, and
blest God he had sent 'em to her House, for this _Lucifer_ they had
described, was certainly the very Man that next Week was to Marry her
Daughter. This surprize put 'em all into new Confusion, and the
Daughter being called to the Council, it was evident that this very
Fellow had made Love to the Daughter of the House, the day of Marriage
concluded, the Ring and Wedding Cloaths preparing, &c. This last
Deliverance made the poor old Woman, and the Daughter no less, melt
into Tears at this happy Discovery.
Well, 'tis agreed between 'em all, that they shall not stir till he
comes thither, which will be in twenty four Hours at most; and all
their united Vengeance, Constables, Warrants, and what not, shall be
prepar'd for his Reception.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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