Mather could not bubble a young beau better with a toy ; nay, he would defcend even to the felling of tape, garters, and fhoe-buckles. When fhop was fhut up, he would go about the neighbourhood, and earn half a crown by teaching the young men and maids to dance. By these methods he had acquired immenfe riches, which he used to fquander away at back-fword, and quarter-staff, and cudgel-play, in which he took great pleasure, and challenged all the country. You will fay it is no wonder if Bull and Frog fhould be jealous of this fellow. "It is not "impoffible (fays Frog to Bull) but this old rogue will "take the management of the young Lord's business into "his hands; befides the rafcal has good ware, and will "serve him as cheap as any body. In that cafe, I leave "6 you to judge what must become of us and our families; muft ftarve, or turn journeymen to old Lewis Ba"boon; therefore, neighbour, I hold it adviseable, that we writ to young Lord Strutt to know the bottom of

66 we

I

this matter."

CHA P. III.

A copy of Bull and Frog's Letter to lord Strutt.

MY LORD;

Suppose your lordship knows, that the Bulls and the Frogs have ferved the Lord Strutts with all forts of drapery-ware time out of mind; and whereas we are jealous, not without reafon, that your lordship intends henceforth to buy of your grandfire old Lewis Baboon ; this is to inform your lordfhip, that this proceeding does not fuit with the circumftanees of our families, who have lived and made a good figure in the world by the generofity of the Lord Strutts. Therefore we think fit to acquaint your Lordship, that you must find fufficient secu

Strong difpofition to war,, from becoming too potent, an

alliance was formed to " procure a reasonable fatisfaction to the house of Austria for its pretenfions to the Spanish fucceffion, " and fufficient

rity * to us, our heirs and affigns, that you will not employ Lewis Baboon; or elfe we will take our remedy at law, clap an action upon you of 20,000 /. for old debts, feize and diftrain your goods and chattels, which, confidering your lordship's circumstances, will plunge you into difficulties, from which it will not be easy to extricate yourself; therefore we hope, when your lordship his better confidered on it, you will comply with the defire of

Your loving friends,

JOHN BU L L,
NIC. FROG.

Some of Bull's friends advised him to take gentle methods with the young Lord; but John naturally loved rough play. It is impoffible to express the furprize of the Lord Strutt upon the receipt of this letter; he was not flufh in ready, either to go to law, or clear old debts; neither could he find good bail: he offered to bring matters to a friendly accommodation; and promised, upon his word of honour, that he would not change his drapers; but all to no purpose, for Bull and Frog faw clearly that old Lewis would have the cheating of him.

CHA P. IV.

How Bull and Frog went to law with Lord Strutt about the premifes, and were joined by the rest of the tradef

men.

A

LL endeavours of accommodation between Lord Strutt and his drapers, proved vain; jealousies ip creafed, and indeed it was rumoured abroad, that Lord Strutt had bespoke his new liveries of old Lewis Baboon.

*"fecurity to England and Holland for their dominions, navigation, and commerce, and to prevent the union of the two monarchies, France and Spain." To effect these purposes Queen Anne was by

This coming to Mrs Bull's * ears, when John Bull came home, be found all his family in an uproar. Mrs Bull, you must know, was very apt to be choleric. "You "fot, fays fhe, you loiter about ale-houses and taverns, "fpend your time at billiards, nine-pins, or puppet-fhows, or flaunt about the streets in your new gilt chariot, ne"6 ver minding me nor your numerous family. Don't 66 you hear how Lord Strutt has bespoke his liveries at "Lewis Baboon's hop? Don't you fee how that old fox "steals away your customers, and turns you out of your "businets every day, and you fit like an idle drone wit a 66 your bands in your pockets? Fie upon't! up man, ❝rouze thyself; I'll fell to my fhift, before I'll be fo u"fed by that knave." You must think Mrs Bull had been pretty well tuned up by Frog, who chimed in with her learned harangue. No further delay now, but to council learned in the law they go, who unanimoufly af fured them both of the justice and infallible fuccels of their law-fuit.

I told you before, that old Lewis Baboon was a fort of a Jack of all trades, which made the reft of the tradefmen jealous, as well as Bull and Frog; they hearing of the quarrel were glad of an opportunity of joining against old Lewis Baboon, provided that Bull and Frog would bear the charges of the fuit; even lying Ned †, the chimney-fweeper of Savoy, and Tom ‡, the Portugal dustman, put in their claims; and the caule was put into the hands of Humphrey Hocus the attorney

**

A declaration was drawn up to fhew, "That Bull and "Frog had undoubted right by prescription to be dra. pers to the Lord Strutts; that there were feveral old "contracts to that purpofe; that Lewis Baboon had "taken up the trade of clothier and draper, without fer❝ving his time or purchafing his freedom; that he fold "goods, that were not marketable, without the stamp;

* the parliament precipitated into the war as a principal. Among her allies were

the Duke of Savoy, and

the King of Portugal; and

John Churchill Duke of Marlborough was appointed general in chief of the confederate army.

VOL. V.

"that

"that he himself was more fit for a bully than a tradef "man, and went about through all the country-fairs "challenging people to fight prizes, wrestling and cud"gel-play; and abundance more to this purpose."

CHAP. V.

The true characters of John Bull, Nic. Frog, and Hocus.

OR the better understanding the following hiftory,

FOR

the reader ought to know, that Bull, in the main, was an honeft plain-dealing fellow, choleric, bold, and of a very unconftant temper; he dreaded not old Lewis either at back-fword, fingle faulchion, or cudgel- play; but then he was very apt to quarrel with his best friends, efpecially if they pretended to govern him: if you flattered him you might lead him like a child. John's temper depended very much upon the air; his fpirits rose and fell with the weather-glafs. John was quick, and underftood his bufinefs very well; but no man alive was more careless in looking into his accounts, or more cheated by partners, apprentices, and fervants. This was occafioned by his being a boon companion, loving his bottle and his diverfion; for, to fiy truth, no man kept a better houfe than John, nor fpent his money more generously. By plain and fair dealing Jobu had acquired fome plumbs, and might have kept them, had it not been for his unhappy law fuit.

Nic. FROG was a cunning fly whorefon, quite the reverfe of John in many particulars; covetous, frugal; minded domestic affairs; would pinch his belly to fave his pocket; never loft a farthing by carelets fervants, or bad debtors. He did not care much for any fort of diverfions, except tricks of high german artists, and leger-demain: no man exceeded Nic. in thefe; yet it must be owned that Nic. was a fair dealer, and in that way acquired immenfe riches.

Hocus was an old cunning attorney; and though this was the first confiderable fuit that ever he was engaged in, he shewed himself fupcrior in address to most of his

pro

profellion: he kept always good clerks, he loved money was fmooth-tongued, gave good words, and feldom loft his temper: he was not worfe than an infidel, for he provided plentifully for his family; but he loved himself better than them all: the neighbours reported, that he was hen-pecked; which was impoffible by fuch a mild-fpirited woman as his wife was.

L

C II A P. VỊ.

Of the various fuccefs of the law fuit.

AW is a bottomlefs pit; it is a cormorant, a harpy, that devours every thing. John Bull was flattered by the lawyers, that his fuit would not laft above a year or two at moft; that before that time he would be in quiet poffeffion of his bufinefs: yet ten long years did Hocus fteer his caufe through all the meanders of the law, and all the courts. No skill, no address was wanting; and, to fay truth, John did not ftarve his caufe; there wanted not yellow boys to fee council, hire witneffes, and bribe juries: Lord Strutt was generally caft, nçver had one verdict in his favour; * and John was promifed that the next, and the next would be a final determination; but alas! that final determination and happy conclufion was like an inchanted ifland, "the nearer John came to it, the further it went from him: new trials upon new points ftill arofe; new doubts, new matters to be cleared; in fhort, lawyers feldom part with fo good a caufe till they have got the oyster, and their clients the fhell. John's ready money, book-debts, bonds, mortgages, all went into the lawyers pockets: then John began to borrow money upon Bank-stock and Eaft-India bonds; now and then a farm went to pot at last

* The war was carried on againft France and Spain with great fuccefs, and a peace might have been concluded upon the prin ciples of the alliance; but a partition of the Spanish dominions in favour of the houfe of Auftria, and an engagement that the fame perfon fhould never be king of France and Spain, were not now thought fufficient.