agreement, whereby she was in all
things to be treated like a child of the family. Then she called upon
those that had made her such fair promises, and undertook for her
brother John's good behaviour; but, alas! to her cost she found that
they were the first and readiest to do her the injury. John at last
agreed to this regulation: that Peg's footmen might sit with his
book-keeper, journeymen, and apprentices, and Peg's better sort of
servants might sit with his footmen if they pleased.**

* Endeavoured to get their share of places.

** Articles of Union, whereby they could make a Scot's
commoner, but not a lord a peer.

Then they began to order plum-porridge and minced pies for Peg's dinner.
Peg told them she had an aversion to that sort of food; that upon
forcing down a mess of it some years ago it threw her into a fit till
she brought it up again. Some alleged it was nothing but humour, that
the same mess should be served up again for supper, and breakfast next
morning; others would have made use of a horn, but the wiser sort bid
let her alone, and she might take to it of her own accord.

CHAPTER VI. The conversation between John Bull and his wife.*

* The history of the Partition Treaty; suspicions at that
time that the French King intended to take the whole, and
that he revealed the secret to the Court of Spain.

MRS. BULL.--Though our affairs, honey, are in a bad condition, I have
a better opinion of them since you seemed to be convinced of the ill
course you have been in, and are resolved to submit to proper remedies.
But when I consider your immense debts, your foolish bargains, and the
general disorder of your business, I have a curiosity to know what fate
or chance has brought you into this condition.

JOHN BULL.--I wish you would talk of some other subject, the thoughts of
it makes me mad; our family must have their run.

MRS. BULL.--But such a strange thing as this never happened to any of
your family before: they have had lawsuits, but, though they spent the
income, they never mortgaged the stock. Sure, you must have some of the
Norman or the Norfolk blood in you. Prithee, give me some account of
these matters.

JOHN BULL.--Who could help it? There lives not such a fellow by bread as
that old Lewis Baboon: he is the most cheating, contentious rogue upon
the face of the earth. You must know, one day, as Nic. Frog and I were
over a bottle making up an old quarrel, t