The Surprising Adventures of Bampfylde Moore Carew, King of the Beggars: Containing his Life, a Dictionary of the Cant Language, and many Entertaining Particulars of that Extraordinary Man — John Shaqi
The Surprising Adventures of Bampfylde Moore Carew, King of the Beggars: Containing his Life, a Dictionary of the Cant Language, and many Entertaining Particulars of that Extraordinary ManUnknown
General
The Surprising Adventures of Bampfylde Moore Carew, King of the Beggars: Containing his Life, a Dictionary of the Cant Language, and many Entertaining Particulars of that Extraordinary Man
As our hero’s thoughts were bent on making still greater advantage of his
stratagem, he did not stay long with his brethren, but went to a
reputable inn, where he lodged, and set out the next morning for
Salisbury; here he presented his petition to the mayor, bishop, and other
gentlemen of great note and fortune, (applying to none but such who were
so,) and acquainted them with the favours he had received from his grace
the Duke of Bolton. The gentlemen, having such ocular demonstration of
the duke’s great liberality, treated him with great complaisance and
respect, and relieved him very generously, not presuming to offer any
small alms to one whom the Duke of Bolton had thought so worthy of his
notice. In the same manner, and with the same success, he visited Lord
Arundel, Sir Edward Bouverie, and many other gentlemen in the counties of
Wilts, Dorset, and Somerset. Coming into Devonshire, his native country,
he visited all his friends and most intimate acquaintance in that part,
and was relieved by them, not one of them discovering this unfortunate
supercargo to be Mr. Bampfylde Moore Carew. Being one morning near the
seat of his friend Sir William Courtney, he was resolved to pay him three
visits that day: he went therefore to a house frequented by his order,
and there pulled off his fine clothes, and put on a parcel of rags; in
this dress he moved towards Sir William’s: there, with a piteous moan, a
dismal countenance, and a deplorable tale, he got half-a-crown of that
gentleman, as a man who had met with misfortunes at sea; at noon he put
on a leather apron, a coat which seemed scorched by the fire, with a
dejected countenance applied again, and was relieved as an unfortunate
shoemaker, who had been burned out of his house, and all he had; in the
afternoon he went again in his trimmed clothes, and desiring admittance
to Sir William, with a modest grace and submissive eloquence he repeated
his misfortunes as the supercargo of a vessel which had been cast away,
and his whole effects lost, at the same time mentioning the kindness he
had received from his grace the Duke of Bolton. Sir William, seeing his
genteel appearance and behaviour, treated him with that respect which the
truly great will always pay to those who supplicate their assistance, and
generously relieved him, presenting him with a guinea at his departure.
There happened to be at that time a great number of the neighbouring
gentlemen and clergy at dinner with Sir William, not one of whom
discovered who this supercargo was, except the Reverend Mr. Richards, who
did not make it known till he was gone; upon which Sir William dispatched
a servant after him, to desire him to come back. When he entered the
room again, Sir William and the rest of the company were very merry with
him, and he was desired to sit down and give them an account by what
stratagem he had got all his finery, and what success he had with it,
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