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
Here, observing that our hero was
grievously hurt by his collar, this good king immediately set himself
about freeing him from it; but, as he had no proper tool for that
purpose, he was at a great loss how to execute it; but at last, taking
the steel of Mr. Carew’s tinder-box, he jagged it into a kind of saw,
with which he cut off his collar, but not without much labour, his
majesty sweating heartily at the work. He then carried him into his own
wigwam, which appeared very handsomely furnished. Here he ordered some
Indian bread, and other refreshments, to be set before Mr. Carew, who ate
very heartily. During this the prince acquainted him his name was George
Lillycraft; that his father was one of those kings who were in England in
the reign of Queen Anne; and then showed him some fine laced clothes,
which were made a present of to him by the late king George of England
(meaning his late majesty king George the First); he expressed a great
affection for his brother kings of England, as he called them, and for
the English nation in general. Soon after came in the queen, dressed in
a short jacket, leading in her hand a young prince, who both repeated the
word runaway twice.
Next day the king presented him to the wisos, or chief men of the town,
who received him with a great deal of civility, and tokens of high
esteem. He ate every day at the king’s table, and had a lodging assigned
to him in his wigwam, and grew every day more and more in esteem among
them, being consulted in all matters of difficulty. Thus sudden are the
scenes of life shifted and changed; for a brave man will never despair
under whatsoever misfortunes; for our hero, who but a few weeks before
was treated like a beast of burden, heavily loaded, cruelly whipped,
coarsely fed, and all by the insolence and inhumanity of his own
countrymen, is now seated, in a strange country, with kings and princes,
and consulted by a whole nation.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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