CHAPTER the laft.

Which, it is to be hoped, will be, on more accounts than one, agreeable to the reader.

IR Launcelot having vindicated

ty, and fecured the heart of his charming Aurelia, now found lei fure to unravel the confpiracy which had been executed against his perfon; and with that view commenced a law-fuit against the owner of the houfe where he and his miftrefs had been feparately confined. Mr. Shackle was, notwithstanding all the fubmiffions and atonement which he offered to make, either in private or in public, indicted on the ftatute of kidnapping, tried, convicted, punished by a severe fine, and ftand ing in the pillory. A judicial writ ad inquirendum being executed, the prifons of his inquifition were laid open, and feveral innocent captives enlarged.

In the courfe of Shackle's trial, it appeared that the knight's confinement was a scheme executed by his rival Mr. Sycamore, according to the device of his counfellor Dawdle, who, by this contrivance, had reconciled himself to his patron, af ter having deserted him in the day of battle. Our hero was fo incenfed at the difcovery of Sycamore's treachery and ingratitude, that he went in queft of him immediately, to take vengeance on his perfon, accompanied by Capt. Crowe, who wanted to ballance accounts with Mr. Dawdle. But thofe gentlemen December 1761.

[Concluded.]

had wifely avoided the impending ftorm, by retiring to the continent, on pretence of travelling for improvement.

Sir Launcelot was not now fo much of a knight-errant, as to leave

and purfue the traitors to the fartheft extremities of the earth. He practifed a much more cafy, certain, and effectual method of revenge, by inftituting a procefs against them, which, after writs of capias, alias, & pluries, had been repeated, fubjected them both to outlawry. Mr. Sycamore and his friend being thus deprived of the benefit of the law, by their own neglect, would likewife have forfeited their goods and chattels to the king, had not they made fuch fubmiflions as appeafed the wrath of Sir Launcelor and Capt. Crowe; then they ventured to return, and by dint of intereft obtained a reverfal of the outlawry. But this grace they did not enjoy, till long after our adventurer was happily eftablished in life.

While the knight waited impatintly for the expiration of Aurelia's minority, and, in the mean time, confoled himfelf with the imperfect happiness arifing from her converfation, and thofe indulgences which the most unblemished virtue could beftow; Capt. Crowe projected another plan of vengeance against the conjurer, whofe lying oracles had coft him fuch a world of vexation. The truth is, the captain began to be tired of idleness, and undertook this adventure to keep his hand in

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ufe. He imparted his defign to Crabfhaw, who had likewife fuffered in fpirit from the predictions of the faid offender, and was extremely well difpofed to affift in punishing the falfe prophet. He now took it for granted that he should not be hanged for ftealing a horfe; and thought it very hard to pay fo much money for a deceitful prophecy, which, in all likelihood, would never be fulfilled.

A&uated by thefe motives, they fet out together for the houfe of confultation; but they found it fhut up and abandoned, and, upon inquiry in the neighbourhood, learned that the conjurer had moved his quarters that very day on which the captain had recourfe to his art. This was actually the cafe: he knew the fate of Sir Launcelot would foon come to light, and he did not chufe to wait the confequence. He had other motives for decamping. He had run a fcore at the public houfe, which he had no mind to discharge, and wanted to difengage himself from his female affociate, who knew too much of his affairs, to be kept at her proper diftance. All these purpofes he had anfwered, by retreating foftly without beat of drum, while bis Sybil was abroad running down prey for his devouring. He had not, however, taken his menfures fo citnningly, but that this old hag difcovered his new lodgings, and in revenge, gave information to the publican. This creditor took out a writ accordingly; and the bailiff had juft lecured his perfon as Capt. Crowe and Timothy Crabihaw chanced to pass by the door in their way homewards, through an obfcure ftreet near the Seven Dials.

The conjurer having no fubter

fuge left, but a great many particular reafons for avoiding an explanation with the juftice, like the man between the devil and the deep fea, of two evils chofe the leaft; and beckoning to the captain, called him by his name. Crowe, thus addressed, replied with a "Hilloah!" and looking towards the place from whence he was hailed, at once recognized the negromancer. Without farther hefitation he fprarg across the street, and collaring Albumazar, exclaimed, "Aha! old boy; is the wind in that corner? I thought we should grapple

one day now will I bring you up by the head, tho' all the devils in hell were blowing abaft the beam."

The bailiff feeing his prifoner fo roughly handled before, and at the fame time affaulted behind by Crabfhaw, who cried, "Shew me a liar, and I'll fhew you a thief— who is to be hanged now?”—I fay, the bailiff, fearing he should lofe the benefit of his job, began to put on his contentious face, and, declaring the doctor was his prisoner, fwore he could not furrender him, without a warrant from the lord chief juftice. The whole groupe adjourning into the parlour, the conjurer defired to know of Crowe, whether Sir Launcelot was found? being anfwered, “Ey, ey, safe enough to fee you made faft in the bilboes, brother;" he told the captain he had fomething of confequence to communicate for his advantage; and propofed that Crowe and Crabfhaw should bail the action, which lay only for a debt of three pounds.

Crow formed, andCrabfhaw grinned at this modeft propofal: but when

when they understood that they could only be bound for his appearance, and reflected that they needed not part with him, until his body fhould be furrendered unto juftice, they confented to give bail; and the bond being executed, conveyed him directly to the house of our adventurer. The boisterous Crowe introduced him to Sir Launcelot with fuch an abrupt, unconnected detail of his offence, as the knight could not understand without Timothy's annotations. These were followed by fome queftions put to the conjurer, who laying afide his black gown, and plucking off his white beard, exhibited to the aftonifhed fpectators, the very individual countenance of the empirical politician Ferret, who had played our hero fuch a flippery trick after the electioneering adven

ture.

"I perceive (faid he) you are preparing to expoftulate, and upbraid me for having given a falfe information against you to the country juftice. I look upon mankind to be in a state of nature, a truth which Hobbes hath ftumbled upon by accident. I think every man has a right to avail himself of his talents, even at the expence of his fellowcreatures; juft as we fee the fish, and other animals of the creation, devouring one another. I found the juftice but one degree removed from ideotism, and knowing that he would commit fome blunder in the execution of his office, which would lay him at your mercy, I contrived to make his folly the inftrument of my efcape-I was difmiffed without being obliged to fign the information I had given; and you took ample vengeance for his tyranny and impertinence. I came to London,

where my circumftances obliged me to live in difguife. In the character of a conjurer, I was confulted by your follower Crowe, and your 'fquire Crabfhaw. I did little or nothing but eccho back the intelligence they brought me, except prognofticating thatCrabflaw would be hanged; a prediction to which I found myfelf fo irrefiftibly impelled, that I am perfuaded it was the real effect of inspiration-I am now arrefted for a paultry fum of money; and, moreover, liable to be sent to Bridewell as an impoftor--let those anfwer for my conduct, whofe cruelty and infolence have driven me to the neceffity of ufing fuch fubterfuges-I have been oppreffed and perfecuted by the government for speaking truth-your omnipotent laws have reconciled contradictions. That which is acknowleged to be truth in fact is conftrued falfhood in law; and great reafon we have to boast of a conftitution founded on the bafis of abfurdity-But, waving thefe remarks, I own I am unwilling to be either imprisoned for debt, or punished for impofture

I know how far to depend upon generofity, and what is called benevolence; words to amufe the weakminded-I build upon a furer bottom--I will bargain for your affiftance-it is in my power to put twelve thoufand pounds in the pocket of Samuel Crowe, that there fea-rufian, who by his good-will would hang me to the yard's arm-"

There he was interrupted by the feaman. "Damn your rat's

eyes! none of your-hang thee! -fifh my topmafts! if the rope was fairly reeved, and the tackle found, d'ye fee-" Mr. Clarke, who was prefent,

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his heir; Triftram; and Thomas, who left, at his death, in 1652, two daughters, Deborah and Catharine.

Sir Giles Brydges was fheriff of Herefordshire in 1625, and one of the reprefentatives in parliament for that county, when he was created, May 17, 1627, a knight-baronet. He married Jane, daughter of Sir James Scudamore, and by her had three fons, viz. Sir John, his fucceffor, Charles, and Giles; and two daughters, Jane, the wife of James Fhips of Swallowneld, Wilts, Efq; and Frances.

Sir John Brydges, by Mary, fole daughter and heir of James Pearl, of Dewfal and Acconbury, in Herefordshire, was the father of an only fon,

James, who fucceeded to the title of his kinfman, William, lord Chandos, abovementioned, and took his feat in the houfe of peers, Feb. 15, 1676-7. His lordship, in 1630, was fent ambassador to Conftantinople, where he refided feveral years with reputation and honour. He married Elizabeth, eldest daughter and co-heiress of Sir Henry Bernard, an eminent Turkey-merchant; by whom he had twenty-two children, of whom only eight lived to the years of maturity, viz. Jan.es, the princely duke of Chandos; the hon. and rev. Henry Brydges, who, by Annabella, the daughter of Atkins, Efq; was the father of two fons, Henry and James, and of five daughters, whereof Annabella was wedded to colonel Inwood, of Stanmore, Middlesex, and Mary, to Simon Adeane, Efq; of Charlgrove, Oxfordshire; and Francis, constituted, in 1702, receiver-general of the duties on falt. The furviving daughters were, Mary, the wife of Theophilus Leigh, of Alderton, Gloucestershire, Efq; Elizabeth, married to Alexander Jacob, Efq; a cadet of Sir Hildebrand Jacob's family, and fecondly to the rev. Dr. Dawfon, of Windfor; Emma, wedded to Edmund Chamberlain, of Stow, Gloucestershire, Efq; Anne, the spouse of Charles Walcote, of Walcote, Efq; in Shropshire; and Catharine, the wife of Brereton Bourchier, of Barnley-court, Gloucestershire, Efq; and fecondly of Henry Perrot, of North-Leigh, Oxfordshire, Efq.

James, lord and duke of Chandos, in his father's life-time reprefented the city of Hereford in feveral parliaments. In 1695, he was one of the committee for examining Sir Thomas Cooke, concerning

the Eaft India company's new charter, and for infpecting into other iniquitous practices under king William's government. In 1702, he was one of the commiffioners of enquiry into the public accounts; in 1707, one of the council to George, prince of Denmark, lord high admiral of England; and afterwards pay-mafter general of the army. He fucceeded to his father's title of lord Chandos, Oct. 16, 1714, and, on the 19th, was created vifcount Wilton, and earl of Carnarvon. In the next menth, he had a grant of the reversion of the office of clerk of the hanaper in Chancery, to himself and two fons; and, on April 30, 1719, was dignified with the titles of marquis of Carnarvon, and duke of Chandos. In 1721, his grace was ele&ed a governor of the charter-house, conftituted lord-lieutenant and cuftos rotulorum of the counties of Hereford and Radnor; and admitted into the privycouncil. In 1720, he prefided in the York-building company, and, in 1728, was appointed ranger of Enield-chace. This magnificent peer was also chancellor of the university of St. Andrews, in Scotland, when he died, August 9, 1744, at his beautiful feat of Cannons, now no more. By Mary, fole daughter of Sir Thomas Lake of Cannons, in Middlesex, he had fix fons, and two daughters; but only John, late marquis of Carnarvon, and lord Henry, the prefent duke of Chandos, furvived their mother, who died A. D. 1712: after which his grace married Calfandra, fifter to Thomas Willoughby lord, Middleton, and Lydia-Catharine van Hatten, reli&t of Sir Thomas Daval; but had no iffue by either of them. John, marquis of Carnarvon, who ferved in parliament for Steyning in Suffex, wedded lady Catharine, daughter of Lionel Talmash, earl of Dyfart in Scotland; and by her was father of two daughters, viz. lady Catharine, married to captain Lyon of the horse-guards, and after his decease to Charles Stanhope, Efq; and lady Jane (pofthumous) the wife of.... Bridges, Efq; her kinfman. His lordship dying of the small-pox, A. D. 1727, aged 24, without male iffue, his right of fucceffion to his father's titles and eftate devolved to his brother,

Henry, the prefent duke of Chandos, who, when marquis of Carnarvon, reprefented the city of Hereford, and the boroughs of Steyning and Bishop's-caftle.