to the Fields, with an Intent to dry her Cloaths, and then hipped after her: She turned about, but no fooner discovered me, than fhe gave a Shriek, and was making all the Hafte to run from me; but I overtook her, and telling her, I meant her no Harm, fhe became tolerably calm: I told her, she might well fear the Confequences of my feeing her, but, as I had just feen her punished for another Crime, I would wave my Refentment, if she would let me know where to get my Cane again, which I very much valued. She wept and thanked me, but assured me it had been fold with my other Things by her male Accomplices, the knew not where. I then laid before her her vile and wretched Manner of Life, and the Confequences it would in the End produce, with which the feemed affected, and, giving her a small Piece of Money, was going away; but he begged me to ftay a Minute or two, for fhe had fomewhat to impart to me that might be of Service. The Villain, Sir, that paffed for my Husband, and robbed you that Night I was in the Coach with you, is dead; he was run thro' the Body by fome Gentlemen who came up. to the Rescue of another he had attacked in a Field near Chelsea. How! fays I, is what you say true? Yes, Sir, fhe replied, fomewhat alarmed at my Starting, he was, I affure you: I was unhappily ruined by that Man, who brought me, thro' a Series of Misfortunes and Diftrefs, to aid him in his

wicked Courses; he was at Vauxhall, during the whole Time of our Converfation there, and the Coach I called was driven by a Fellow of the Gang, who plied for the Purpose of affifting us in any fuch Attempt as that I made on you. But what I want to inform you is this, Sir, that the Gentleman, who was robbed at Chelfea, is a great LinnenDraper in the City, with whom you live at this Time; for this Knowledge I gathered by feeing you both at the Shop-door together the Night before the Robbery, and I wanted then an Opportunity to discover the Defign to you; for a Design it was, and the Fellows had their Intelligence of his going to Chelsea, from a Man who is lately be-come a Partner in their Rogueries, who lived as a Journeyman with your Mafter, and has the greateft Inveteracy against you all three, for what Reafon I never could learn. Since Yesterday Morning, I have been quite abandoned to Wretchednefs, and the Crime, you saw me fo roughly handled for, I was induced to commit thro' mere Want of Bread. Your Generofity and Goodnefs, Sir, I hope will make me a true Convert, and, if Heaven is fo gracious as to accept my Repentance, I am refolved to work my Fingers to the Bones, rather than ever expofe myself to fuch Vilenefs and Wickedness as I have too long been fubject to and Partaker of Here he wept aloud, and moved my Compaffion fo much, that I gave her Half-a-Guinea, which

was

was the whole that I had about me, advising her to cherish these Motions of returning Goodness, and telling her, that if ever I faw her again, and was Witness to a Reformation and induftrious Honefly in her, I would be her Friend.

I could not help adoring the Juftice of Providence, in making Ufe of my Arm to execute Vengeance upon the Villain who had fo ill ufed me; and my Indignation against Packer, who had received so many Favours from the Perfon he was thus endeavouring to murder and destroy, was exceffive: I remembered he knew of the Money that was owing us at Chelsea, and if I had gone for it, no doubt, the Favour received by my Friend was intended also to me. So many Instances of the Vilenefs and Corruption of human Nature made me quite melancholy, and I returned Home in an Astonishment and profound Thoughtfulness, that was immediately taken Notice of by my Friend, to whom I imparted the Occafion. He was pat Measure affected with the Discoveries I had made, and, as we did not know what farther Mischiefs Packer, as he knew the Secrets of the Family, and the Nature of our Trade, might endeavour to do, we refolved to be very circumfpect for the Future in every Thing we undertook, and to keep it a Secret from my Maßter, for Fear of giving him any Disturbance.

СНАР.

CHAP. XVI.

Speculift waits upon Mr. Diaper, who reproves Thompson.-He confeffes his Folly.

I

Is pardoned.-Excellent Behaviour of his Mafter.-Permitted to vifit his Father and Mother, with his Friend.-They set out on their Journey.

Found it was now abfolutely neceffary for me

to regain the Confidence and Efteem of Mr. Deacon, in order to get rid of my troublesome Vifitants, for which Purpose I more frequently went to see him; and, as he was really a very fenfible and understanding Man, reaped a great deal of Benefit from his Conversation, and had almost defaced the bad Opinion he had conceived of me, when the Malice or Vanity of Speculist at once made a Discovery of my untoward Situation. He bore my late Rejoinder to his Difcourfe very hardly, and fired with Refentment at my confequent Eftrangement from him; for what he had faid, of not defiring my Company, was only one of thofe Airs he gave himself with thofe Acquaintances over whom he acquired a Superiority; refolved to be revenged, and therefore this Man of Reason and Philofophy, who was not quite unknown to my Mafter, one Day paid him a Vifit, at which he feemed very much furprised, as he had never converfed with him, not

at

at all liking his Character. He foon put him out of his Uncertainty of his Defign, by acquainting him, he came, out of pure Compaffion to Mr. Thompson, to let him know, that he was fearful he had taken fome bad Courfes, and kept Company with Perfons who would do him much Differvice; and then gave him a Detail of thofe little Follies I had been guilty of, the Neceffities he knew I was driven to, and an Account of the Debt I had contracted with him; concluding, that he gave him the prefent Trouble, out of pure Good-will to the young Gentleman, not doubting but he would exert his Authority and Influence over me, to engage me to forfake fuch Practices for the Future. The good Man was quite furprised at this Account of me, and, as he had heard me mention Mr. Speculift, as an ingenious Gentleman, and one I greatly refpected, faw, thro' the Appearance of Friendship he put on, the Rancour of his Heart, and, without any Emotion, gravely afked him, What it was I owed him? And, upon hearing it was only twelve Pounds, counted him out the Money, took his Receipt, and begged the Favour of him to depart the House; which he did with the utmost Precipitancy and Shame, which was the more increafed by his meeting me full-butt at the Bottom of the Stair cafe. He juft moved his Hat and went away, leaving me in Amaze at feeing him in our House,

where