· Our Knight, fays he, was pretty much addicted to the most fashionable of all Faults. 'He had a loofe Rogue for a Lacquey, not a little in his Favour, tho' he had no other 'Name for him when he fpoke of him but the Rafcal, or to him but Sirrah. One Morning when he was dreffing, Sirrah, fays he, be fure you bring home this Evening a pretty Wench. The Fellow was a Perfon of Diligence and Capacity, and had for fome time addreffed himself to a decay'd old Gentlewoman, who had a young Maiden to her Daughter, beauteous as an Angel, not yet fixteen Years of Age. The Mother's extreme Poverty, and the Infinuations of this Artful Lacquey concerning the foft Difpofi⚫tion and Generofity of his Master, made her ⚫ consent to deliver up her Daughter. But

many were the Intreaties and Representations ' of the Mother to gain her Child's Consent to an Action, which the faid the abhorred, at the fame time fhe exhorted her to it; but • Child, fays fhe, can you fee your Mother die for Hunger? The Virgin argued no longer, but bursting into Tears, faid fhe would go any where. The Lacquey conveyed her with great Obfequioufnefs and Secrecy to his 'Mafter's Lodging, and placed her in a com'modious Apartment till he came home. The Knight, who knew his Man never failed of bringing in his Prey, indulged his Genius at a Banquet, and was in high Humour at an • Enter

H 4

C

as

• Entertainment with Ladies, expecting to be received in the Evening by one as agreeable the best of them. When he came home, 'his Lacquey met him with a faucy and joyful Familiarity, crying out, She is as handfom as an Angel, (for there is no other Simile on thefe Occafions) but the tender Fool has wept till her Eyes are fwelled and bloated; for fhe is a Maid and a Gentlewoman. With that he conducted his Master to the Room where fhe was, and retired. The Knight, ' when he saw her bathed in Tears, faid in fome Surprise, Don't you know, young Woman, why you were brought hither? The unhappy Maid fell on her Knees, and with many Interruptions of Sighs and Tears faid to him, I know, alas! too well why I am brought hither; my Mother, to get Bread ' for her and myself, has fent me to do what you pleased; but wou'd it would please Heaven I could die, before I am added to the Number of those miserable Wretches who live without Honour! With this Reflexion 'fhe wept anew, and beat her Bofom. The Knight stepping back from her, faid, I am < not fo abandoned as to hurt your Innocence

against your Will.

THE Novelty of the Accident furpris'd < him into Virtue; and covering the young Maid with a Cloke, he led her to a Rela'tion's Houfe, to whofe Care he recommended 'her for that Night. The next Morning he

fent

fent for her Mother, and asked her if her Daughter was a Maid? the Mother affured him, that when the delivered her to his Servant, he was a Stranger to Man. Are not you then, reply'd the Knight, a wicked Woman to contrive the Debauchery of your own 'Child? She held down her Face with Fear and Shame, and in her Confufion uttered fome broken Words concerning her Poverty. Far be it, faid the Gentleman, that you shoud ' relieve yourself from Want by a much greater Evil: Your Daughter is a fine young Creature; do you know of none that ever spoke of her for a Wife? The Mother answered, There is an honest Man in our Neighbour'hood that loves her, who has often faid he ' would marry her with Two Hundred Pounds. 'The Knight ordered his Man to reckon out that Sum, with an Addition of Fifty to buy the Bride Clothes, and Fifty more as a Help to her Mother.

I APPEAL to all the Galants in Town, Whether poffeffing all the Beauties in GreatBritain could give half the Pleasure, as this young Gentleman had in the Reflexion of having relieved a miferable Parent from Guilt and Poverty, an innocent Virgin from Publick Shame, and bestowing a Virtuous Wife upon an honeft Man?

AS all Men who are guilty this way have not Fortunes or Opportunities for making fuch Atonements for their Vices, yet all Men may

do

do what is certainly in their Power at this good Season. For my part I don't care how ridiculous the Mention of it may be, provided I hear it has any good Confequence upon the Wretched, that I recommend the most abandoned and miferable of Mankind to the Charity of all in profperous Conditions under the fame Guilt with thofe Wretches. The Lock Hofpital in Kent-ftreet, Southwark, for Men, that in Kingsland for Women, is a Receptacle for all Sufferers mangled by this Iniquity. Penitents fhould in their own Hearts take upon them all the Shame and Sorrow they have escaped; and it would become them to make an Oblation for their Crimes, by Charity to thofe upon whom Vice appears in that utmost Misery and Deformity, which they themselves are free from by their better Fortune, rather than greater Innocence. It would quicken our Compaffion in this Cafe, if we confidered there may be Objects there, who would now move Horror and Loathing, that we have once embraced with Transport; and as we are Men of Honour, (for I must not fpeak as we are Chriftians) let us not defert our Friends for the Lofs of their Nofes.

Wednesday,

N° 18

Mortis

Wednesday, April 1.

Animæque capaces

Souls, undifmay'd by Death.

TH

Lucan.

HE Profpect of Death is fo gloomy and dismal, that if it were conftantly before our Eyes, it would imbitter all the Sweets of Life. The gracious Author of our Being hath therefore fo formed us, that we are capable of many pleafing Senfations and Reflexions, and meet with fo many Amusements and Solicitudes, as divert our Thoughts from dwelling upon an Evil, which, by Reason of its feeming Distance, makes but languid Impreffions upon the Mind. But how distant foever the Time of our Death may be, fince it is certain that we muft die, it is neceffary to allot fome Portion of our Life to confider the End of it; and it is highly convenient to fix fome stated Times to meditate upon the final Period of our Existence here. The Principle of Self-Love, as we are Men, will make us enquire, what is like to become of us after our Diffolution and our Confcience, as we are Christians, will inform us, that according to the Good or Evil of our Actions here, we fhall

be