You must understand me then, that one Mrs. _Rebecca Blackman_, widow, who lives at the sign of the _Griffin_ in _Shoe-lane_, (I suppose, Sir, somebody’s conscience begins to fly in his face by this time) told me, that a certain gentleman of _Cambridge_, who very much resembles you in name, face, and person, (and now Sir, I humbly conceive that somebody that shall be nameless blushes) borrow’d of her upon the first of _April_, 1698, in the tenth year of his majesty king _William_’s reign, the sum of five pounds, (well Sir, let him blush on, for blushing is a sign of grace) which he promis’d to repay her _in verbo sacerdotis_, within a month after, (good Lord! to see how canonically some people can break their words) upon the word of a gentleman, as he was a christian, and all that. But mind what follows, Sir. This worthy gentleman, I told you of, altho’ he was bound to the performance of his promise by all that was good and sacred; and if good and sacred would not bind him, by a note under his own hand, wherein he promis’d to pay to Mrs. _Rebecca Blackman_, widow, or order, the aforesaid sum of five pounds upon demand; nevertheless, and notwithstanding all this, he has not had the manners so much as to send her a letter to excuse himself for this delay, and takes no more notice of her, than if he had never seen any such person as Mrs. _Rebecca Blackman_ in all his life. She being therefore my antient acquaintance and friend, and one for whom I profess to have a very great value, desir’d me to write a few lines to you, which accordingly I have done, and by her order I request you, as being a person of great civility and candour, to tell the aforesaid gentleman, (whom as I am informed you may see every morning in the year, if you have a looking-glass in your room, which I will in charity suppose) that she expects to have the five pounds _supradict_ within a fortnight at farthest, and then all will be well: otherwise she must be forc’d, in her own defence, to employ the secular arm, _anglicè_, a baliff or catchpole, and put the abovemention’d person into lobb’s pound. Now, Sir, having a great regard to mother university, (of which I might have been an unworthy member, had not my uncle----) and likwise being desirous to prevent farther effusion of christian money, I make it my humble request to you to speak to the aforesaid gentleman, that he would send me the sum of five pounds with all expedition; and in so doing you will in a most particular manner oblige, _Sir_, _Your most humble tho’ unknown Servant_, W. H. From my Chambers in _Clifford_’s-Inn. ANSWER I. _To Mr._ W. H. _Attorney at Law, at his Chambers in_ Clifford’_s-Inn_ _Worthy Sir_,