lities; for being with her one ternoon in the grotto, and thinking nobody near, he made a vile, tho' vain attempt on her virtue; for on her fcreaming out, the gardener, whọ was in the wilderness behind, came up and disconcerted his scheme. She, almost overcome with the surprise, was near fainting, when the gardener came in, and Sir Thomas to hide his villany faid, she had been frighted by a snake which ran that moment from the fide of the grotto. As they were afterwards walking home to the house, Sir Thomas desired that no notice might be taken of what had pafs'd, and promis'd to behave quite otherwife for the future, at the fame time making great proteftations of his love; but thefe fhe could by no means think a fecurity against any future attempts on her honour; the therefore left the house the same evening, and came down to me.

Sir Thomas, confcious of what he had done, fent his valet to defire her return; but she excused the matter to the servant by saying, that she was not well, and on that account rather chose to stay with me. This answer was far from being fatisfactory; for Mifs Sally had fcarce finifh'd the relation of what had paffed in the garden, when the valet enter'd a fecond time with the following letter.

T

HE pain you give me, by mifconftruing every thing I fay or do fo much to my disadvantage, is inexpref"fible. What paft between us laft night was intended no "other than as a jeft; for you can't think me fool enough to "attempt the virtue of one whom I intend to make my wife, " and hope to be happy with for ever. Your faying that I "take the advantage of your youth, inexperience and po"verty, in order to feduce your virtue, is doing me the "the greatest injuftice. Did not I know and efteem that

pious, good man your father? Was I not acquainted with "the virtues of that truly worthy woman your mother? "And would I not fooner marry one from that virtuous and "religious ftock without a farthing, than any other with "large poffeffions? By heaven I would. Difmifs your fears,

my dear, and return to me this moment, I entreat you; "for I fhall be in the utmost follicitude till I have given you

convincing proofs of my love and integrity. You know “how expedient it is to keep our marriage a fecret till ny "uncle's death, and therefore I have fent for a clergyman in "the neighbourhood, in whom I can confide. He is to be "with me to-morrow night, and we will then fix the place and happy hour. I am, my dear angel, yours for ever, I mean your happy husband,

Thomas ****

This letter entirely removed the ill opinion I had conceived of Sir Thomas; for here was an honourable proposal of marriage with large profeffions of love to Mifs Brown and of esteem and reverence to her parents. Befides he had often talk'd to her in this ftrain before, tho' fhe always heard him with great indifference, as she had reason to suspect the fincerity of his intentions. This letter, however, was an explanation of what had, at other times, been infinuated in a more obfcure manner; and as Sir Thomas had an agreeable person, and was a gentleman of great fortune; fhe, poor girl, in her fituation, could not be displeased at the proposal; and, for my part, I advised her to return the next morning, and behave as was consistent with the character fhe bore in the family, till fuch time as their marriage could be folemniz'd, of which fhe was to inform me as foon as poffible. Before the departed, I did not forget to give her a caution against all future adyentures like that in the garden, and to read her a lesson on the inconftancy and perfidy of mankind.

Several days had pais'd, before I heard again from her: in which interim, you must imagine, my love and friendship for her fill'd me with a thousand fears. But they were all removed by the fight of one of Sir Thomas's fervants, who brought me word that Mifs Sally had a pain in her head, and defired I would immediately come to her and bring with me the receipt I used on that occafion. This I perfectly understood; and posted away directly. She me tme at the gardengate which points next to our houfe, and with the greateft

joy

joy told me that she had been privately married two days before but as Sir Thomas defired to keep it a fecret on account of his uncle, fhe was afraid to write to me about it for fear of a discovery. She then earnestly conjur'd me not to divulge it, but to confider her ftill as the fame Sally Brown, a fervant in Sir Thomas's family; for, faid fhe, this is his will; you know, 'tis my duty to obey my husband, and I chearfully do it.

How uncertain are all earthly enjoyments! Here I left my friend in the poffeffion of plenty, and as I thought under the protection of an indulgent husband, and placed, as it were, ever out of the power of fortune. Oh that villain, Sir Thomas!-But to go on-his uncle foon after dying, left him the bulk of his eftate, and then his wife was in hope of being removed at least one degree above that of a a servant. But this, he said, was not his will at present, and she chearfully fubmitted. At last however the time came, when no concealment could be any longer made; for fhe grew big with child, and in consequence of that, became the derifion and daily sport of every fellow in the family. Infupportable fituation! fhe now, on her knees, applied to Sir Thomas, and entreated him in the most tender and pathetick manner to save her reputation, and either to publish their marriage himfelf, or to permit her to do it. But the brute turn'd round on his heel, and told her he fhould never acknowledge any fuch thing; that he was never marrried, but by way of diverfion, and that ftood for nothing

'Tis easy to conceive what a dreadful effect this reply must have on one of fo meek a difpofition. Every faculty of her foul left her, and fhe lay as one dead, when he quitting the room fent in people to her assistance. "Twas hardly within the power of medicine to recall her fleeting fpirits; and when recovered fhe was continually raving about her child and Sir Thomas her husband, repeating what had juft pafs'd between him and her, and fhew'd all the figns of a vifible diftraction. In this fituation however, dark as it was, the infernal turn'd her out of doors, committed her to the rage of the merciless elements,

and

and the next day fhe was found by our neighbours, OK fhocking to mention! in a ditch, with her breaft naked and bloody, her hair torn from her head, and raving without the leaft dawn of reafon. In this wretched ftate fhe was carried to a mad-house, about fix miles from our parish.

Now was the time for envy and detraction. Some were wicked enough to throw reflections on the afhes of her poor father, and faid, the parfon might have taught his daughter bet ter. A pretty jade indeed, another answered, to get herself with child and then fudge a wedding upon Sir Thomas. Ah, commend me to the parfon's daughter! faid the third. All the family deny'd that any clergyman had been in the house except Mr. Robinson the curate, who knew nothing of the matter; and Sir Thomas was fo righteous as to affirm, that he never hinted any thing to her about marriage, or had any concern at all with her, so that the ftory of their being married was generally difbelieved.

But to fhorten my ftory, I thought it my duty to fhow the knight's letter (as above) to every body; which coming to his ears, he fent the following to my husband.

"Farmer Plumber, your wife has fhewn a letter to many "people, which, fhe says was sent by me to the girl when at your house, tho' I deny it abfolutely. If you value my friendship get the letter, and fend it me: otherwise ****. prepare to turn out of my farm. Yours Thomas To this my husband, greatly irritated, return'd the following answer.

66

"SIR, your menaces I defpife; I am not yet your flave: "I have an estate of my own of 2001. a year, honestly got, "which will last longer than your 4000l. your farm I shall "quit as foon as my term is expired; for I wou'd not breathe

in the fame air, or dwell in the fame place with fuch a "villian. The letters you fhall never have, but a copy of "each fhall be nail'd on the yew tree in the church-yard "next Sunday. RICHARD PLUMBER. This was accordingly done, and read by all the parish'; fome fhed tears, and others fhook their heads and faid there

Yours,

had

1

had been much foul play. But the afternoon, when news was brought of her death (which indeed I expected) they were enrag'd to the utmost degree: they even threaten'd to to ftone that villian Sir Thomas, and pull down his house; and I believe he was in fome dread of that fort, for that evening he fet out privately for London.

Here our enquiries feem'd to end, and her marriage re main'd as uncertain as ever: but God, who knoweth all fe crets brought this alfo to light. The day after Sally's death my husband was fent for by a gentleman about four miles off, who, 'twas faid, could not die in peace 'till he had seen him; and who should this be but a steward of Sir Thomas's, who had drawn up an inftrument, and got it witneffed, which he deliver'd to my husband. He accordingly went with two neighbours; and, as foon as he came in, the dying man address'd him in the following manner.

"SIR, I was uneafy 'till I saw you; for I as much honour you for vindicating the innocent Mifs Brown, as I abhor my felf for being concerned in her destruction: I am a fteward to Sir Thomas in this county; about ten months ago I received his orders to bring him a clergyman's habit in a box, and fay they were writings. When I came, he told me he had a girl in the house whom he intended to marry at his uncle's decease, and I would be glad, fays he, to have her company in the mean time; but that cannot be done without the formal ceremony of marriage. You are therefore to go into my room at eight this evening and dress yourself like a clergyman. This I did; and foon after Sir Thomas return'd with the young lady, to whom I read over the marriage cere mony. This was done without the knowledge of any of the family, fo that no witnefs could be produced of the marriage; and that wicked man wrote to me to keep it an inviolable fe But good God, could I die with fuch a load upon my

cret.

confcience?"

This is the ftory: I have no more room to add any more, than that I am, dear madam, your fincere and mitch afflicted friend, ANN PLUMBER.