Delightful and ingenious novells being choice and excellent stories of amours, tragical and comical / lately related by the most refin'd wits, under borrowed names ; with interludes between each novel ...

NOVEL the Fifth,

By PARMENIO.

A Gentleman who had been formerly a Mer∣chant in the City of London, and acquir'd a considerable Estate, withdrew into the Coun∣try, having Spent his younger years in the Noise and hurry of Business, resolved now to enjoy the fruits of his Labours in quiet, and Gratifie himself with Solitude and Retirement; having a fair House in Hartfords••ire, he in∣clined to fix there, where he was eminently hos∣pitable to the Gentry, and Charitable to the poor. But that he might not be out of all con∣cern of business in the world like an idle person, he still kept some Ventures a broad, which he called the poors Stock, in which and all other his endeavours, providence blest his Industry with that constant fuccess, that he used famili∣arly

to say he grew Rich in spight of his Teeth, for if he shut Money out at the door, it would come in at the Window. This Gentleman at his death left only one Child a Daughter call'd Joanna, to whom he gave a very great Fortune, and committed the care of her Person and ma∣nagement of her Estate to two Gentlemen her Guardians. She was now about Eight years old when she desir'd she might (as she usually did once a year) go see her Uncle, a Gentleman of fair Reputation and good Estate in Essex, which they granted, and sent her over attended with two Servants. After she had been there a Month, her Uncle who was a passionate Man, catching her in some fault threatned to whip her; She farther provoking him with some Scurvy reply, he did so, at which time as she cryed out, was heard to say by some of the Neighbours, O pray Ʋncle don't kill Me, which neither he or any of the Family took much No∣tice of at that time. The next Morning early she stole out of the House, and after she had wander'd some Hours not knowing whether to go, met with a Company of Gipsies who took her up, made much of her, changing her Cloths and staining her Complexion, brought her with them in few dayes to Lo••don, and from thence went their Rounds into Hampshire,

Wiltshire, and about the Country. The Uncle missing his Neece next day, made all possible Enquiry after her, sent to all the Neighbouring Viliages, search'd all the publick Roads, but could not receive any account of her. He next sent into Hartfordshire to her Guardians to know if she was return'd home, but meeting with no satisfaction, concluded that some young Gentleman who knew she would be a great for∣tune had Stole her, and carried her far away to some distant County where she lay conceal'd. This the Guardians believed too, till some of the Neighbors at their Gossipping, were prat∣ling what they heard others say, and began to wish seriously that it was not too true, especial∣ly when they consider'd that if the Child dye•• in her Minority, the whole Estate would de∣scend to the Uncle. This was buzz'd about till at last it reach'd the Guardians Ears, who making more particular enquiry into the truth of it, were inform'd by some of the Neighbours that the Night before the Child was missing, they heard her cry out most lamentably, pray Ʋncle don't kill Me, this they considered as an odd Circumstance to happen just the Night be∣fore, and asked the Persons who thus informed, if they could safely take their Oaths of it, and would do so before a Magistrate, who said, yes,

it was all true and nothing but the truth. After some deliberation they acquainted the Uncle what the Neighbours said, and how nearly it did touch his Reputation now, and might his Life hereafter, if his Neece was not found. He told them he was altogether innocent of any Injury done to her, nor did he remember that ever she said so, tho' he own'd he whipt her se∣verely, which was for telling a notorious Lye, and using some other indecent expressions, which he thought she deserved to be Corrected for. Upon this all the ponds and Rivers were search'd, and a considerable reward promis'd to any Person, who could give an account of her alive or dead. No News being heard of her, the Neighbours began to Grumble and said, that the Guardians and Uncle had Com∣plotted to Murder the Child and Share her Estate: This being now grown a publick dis∣course in the Country to the great disadvantage of their Reputation, who before were Esteem'd as Gentlemen of Honour and integrity; They resolved to probe the bottom of this cause, and prosecute the Uncle as far as the Law directed them. Accordingly they went over into Essex, and sent for him to a Gentlemans House who was his Neighbour, and a Justice of the peace. Being altogether, the Guardians complain'd

to the Justice of this report, and desir'd him that he would take Cognizance of it as far as the Law required, that i••possible their Reputati∣ons, and the Gentlemans might be preserved free from such an undeserved calumny. The Justice sent for the witnesses, who Swore positively that on such a Night, which was the immediate Night before she was missing, they heard her cry out with a lamentable voice, pray Ʋncle don't kill Me. Upon which the Justice bound the Uncle in a Recognizance of two Thousand pounds to appear at the next Assize, and the Guardians in a bond of five Hundred to prose∣cute the Uncle. In this Interval the Uncle ha∣ving used all the probable means for a discove∣ry that humane Wit could imagine, but not be∣ing able to make any, began to think what was to be done, the time of the Assize drew on, and then he should certainly be Indicted for the Murder of Joanna, nor had he any way to clear his Innocence against such Circumstantial E∣vidence, but by a down-right Negation, which though some of his Friends might Credit, would yet take no place in a Court of Judicature. Ha∣ving thus confidered the difficulty of his Case, he at last resolved thus. In his search after Jo∣anna, he had found a poor Mans Daughter in another County, who both in Age, Features,

and Complexion, so much resembled her that a•• first sight he thought she had been the real same, now sayes he to himself, if I can get this Girle of her Parents, and dress her up in the same ha∣bit, Joanna wore, the very Guardians shall not distinguish her from their own Pupil, she will appear so like the very same, nor have I any other course but this to preferve my self, he accordingly did so, and for a Sum of Money bought the Girl of her poor Relations, dili∣gently instructed her in the part she was to act, who being of a ripe Wit and very apprehensive had her Lesson to a hair. A day or two before the Assize, he gave out he had by great fortune found his Neece, brings her home to his House with her real Father and Mother, who gave a Satisfactory account to all persons how acci∣dently they found her in a wood almost Starv'd, and She not remembring from whence She had wandred they Entertained her amongst their own Children. The Girl own'd how she Stole away for fear her Uncle should whip her again as he threatned, all which Romance hung so well together, that the Guardians believ'd her the same, and no body question'd the truth. At the Assize he was calld to appear which accord∣ingly he did, the Judge asked him for his Neece 〈◊〉〈◊〉 if she was found yet, Yes, my Lord, sayes

the Gentleman, she is in Court, Very well, say ••s my Lord, produce her, and bid the Guar••ians appear, accordingly they did, and the Counter∣feit Joanna, Are you satisfied, to the Guardians sayes the Judge, that this is your Pupil, the Daughter of Mr. — with whom you were left in trust? Yes, my Lord, said the Guardians, After a farther account how she was found the Judge order'd their Recognizance should be withdrawn, and the Uncle discharged. It hap∣pened that an old Woman who was in Court about other business, hearing what a Bustle had been made about her young Mistress, and that she was found again, as they came out of Court crowded to see her, and looking full up∣on her, believed it to be the same, but the Girl not taking Notice of her, She cryed out, O Mistress you don't know Me, upon which She answer'd presently, no, what sayes she don't you know old Nurse? I am sure you are not the same then, upon this the Girl was startled, the Guardians made a stop and asked her how she came to forget Nurse so soon, she not give∣ing a present answer, they began to suspect something and brought her again into Court and Nurse with her.

The old Woman said, She did believe

it had been the same at first, but upon re∣view she much question'd it, that she her self had Nurst her till she was almost four years old, and if it was her Mistress she had a Scar upon her left Arm above the Elbow.

The Judge ordered they should look upon her Arm, which they did, and reported there was no Scar above but one below the Elbow, upon this it was generally believ'd she was the same, and all things set right again. However the Judge seem'd more disatisfied then be∣fore, ordered the Uncle to withdraw, and examined the Girl, Afterwards the Man apart, who said he had found her in a Wood, and then the woman, and here he found they all disagreed in one point or other, at length by crossing the account of the Man and Wife, and then considering that both the Guar∣dians and Nurse agreed the true Joanna, must needs have remembred her Nurse, since it was not a Twelve-Month ago since she saw and par∣ticularly knew her, they agreed it was yet a Cheat, which the Woman for fear of punish∣ment, first Confest, and then her husband own'd it, and lastly the Girl; They proved the Receit of so much Money at such a time, proved by several neighbours, who had known this Girl

for five or six years together, that she alwayes was look'd upon and reputed as their own Child and alwayes liv'd with them. Upon this dis∣covery an Indictment was preferr'd against the Uncle, for the Murder of his Neece Joanna, but he having no proof to clear himself by, and this appearing with so foul a Face against him, he was Condemn'd to be hang'd, and was within a Week after Executed. It fortuned about nine years after at the Summer Assize at Notting∣ham, two young Gentlemen who were lately call'd to the Bar, whereof the Judges Son was one, walking out early one Morning in the fields they saw a whole Covie of Gipsies under a Hedge, when they came near, two of them stept out, and in their Cant told them a great deal of good fortune by looking into their Hands, and viewing the lines of the Face as they pre∣tend, upon which one Gentleman threw them a Shilling, the other call'd them idle Whores, and said they deserv'd to be whipt for publick Cheats, upon which one of them a tall black Girl told him, he ought not to despise a Gipsie for he should Marry one before he was Three Months older, at this the Gentlemen fell a laughing and entertain'd them with other like discourse; when they came home one of them mist his gold Watch, and another had lost all

his Money. They began to grow angry to be thus Cheated, and getting a Constable very luckily, met with these two going off another way; They charg'd them with the Watch and Money, which they as peremptorily denyed, upon which the Constable brought them along into open Court which was then sitting, upon Examination they denyed the Fact, nor could they upon search find either about them. How∣ever, the Judge ordered them to be soundly lash'd for Vagrants, and sent out of Town, as the Constable was taking them away, the Gen∣tleman who was the Judges Son, call'd out Jo∣cosely to the Constable, pray favour the black-woman, for she tells me, I shall Marry a Gipsie within these three Months; which his Father overhearing call'd them back again, and ask'd them

How long they had pretended to telling of Fortunes, I had thought, sayes the Judge, all your Trade had been Picking of Pockets; No, and please you my Lord sayes the black-Woman, my profession is only tel∣ling of Fortunes, I never understood nor practised such unlawfull Arts, at which the Court laugh'd — My Lord then

ask'd (seeing her a good favour'd young Woman, and so quick in her Answers) what Country Woman she was, to which she said, she thought Hartfordshire. Then he askt, if she was born a Gipsy; She said No, but She was as good, for She had been Nine years Apprentice to a Gipsy. At which he ask'd her, if she had e're a Christian Name, yes, my Lord, sayes she, I think so, for my Name is Joanna, the Judge hearing the Name Joanna recol∣lected himself, and remembred the Sto∣ry of the Essex Gentleman, who was by him Condemn'd for Murdering his Neece of that Name. He then asked her, if she had ever been in Essex, or had any Re∣lations there; She said, not since she was very Young, which was at the time she met with the Gipsys first, and then She had an Ʋncle there, who used her very hardly, and so she ran away from him, and was never there since, nor never Enquired after him. Upon this he concluded her to be the same Person, and call'd to the Con∣stable

and told him, he should not let them be whipt, but carry them home to his own House and Entertain them there, till the Court was up, and then he should receive farther Orders. The whole Court at this began to Wonder, and believe one or both of them to be Gentlewomen of good Families, nor did they spare telling the young Gentleman that for ought they knew it might be his Fortune indeed to Marry a Gipsy, if this Young Woman should prove to be a Person of Quality and Estate, which fell out even so, for the Assizes being over, the Judge who had a Seat in Hartfordshire, and had known her Father formerly, brought her up in his Coach, and presented her to the Guardians who own'd her to be the same Person, which the Nurse and all her Surviving Relations Confirm'd. At the same time his Lordship, who knew her to be a very great Fortune, propos'd a Match between his Son and her which she Franckly consented to,

and was presently after Solemniz'd.

Thus ended Parmenio when the whole Company Bow'd their respects, and were all extreamly pleas••d with the fortune of the Gipsy, But Sir, sayes Melintus, I could have wish'd you had carried a lighter Hand over the hard fate of the Ʋncle, whom I pity with all my Heart. Sir, sayes Parmenio, I could have wish'd it had not been true, but as it is so under unquestionable Evidence, I durst not give my Hand the Liberty of one Sweetning Stroke.

Now, Madam, sayes Melintus to Evadne, we must beg the next favour from your fair Hands, No Sir, said she, your power with me alwayes Commands.