ce, and rescued her
from a Tyrant Ravisher, built Houses for herself, and Fences for
the Tenants, and left some of her own People with her to instruct
them in Trades and Husbandry.

She was then, it might be thought, in a Way of making herself
respected, both by her own and her _Sister_'s Tenants, and not
stand in need of any more Supplies from them; and if the _good
Woman_, her guardian, had lived to bring Matters to any Kind of
Establishment, Things had been better. But she unfortunately died,
more, however, to her _Sister_'s Disadvantage than _hers_; for the
_Guardian_ had chalked out a Track of Proceeding for _Betty_, which
she could hardly miss to follow. The _Elder_, however, was
inconsolable for the Loss of her _Guardian_, and resolved, for the
future, to manage her Concerns by the Assistance of a _Steward_, a
Sort of a Cousin to her _Guardian_ deceased, but no way allied to
her, in Worth or Understanding. He minded nothing but Hunting and
_Puppet-shews_, Feasts and Revels; and though the uncomeliest of an
_ill-favoured Race_, spent his Lady's Money in adorning his own
Person, instead of _fencing_ her Grounds. He was laughed at by one
half of the Neighbours, and despised and gulled by the other. In a
Word, he was every Way unfit for the Charge.

His Son succeeded to the Place; he was a grave-looking, orderly
young Man, main religious, and skilled in the _Customs of the
Manor_. Both the Sisters had great Hopes their Affairs would thrive
under his Management. _Betty_'s, indeed, went on well for a while;
but, in the End, both of them had Cause to complain, and curse the
Day they had bethought them of employing a _Steward_ in their
Concerns. He was not so great a Fool as his Father; yet nothing he
put his Hand to succeeded. He was _bubbled_ by every _Neighbour_ he
dealt with, and choused by every _Tenant_ he trusted. His Word
could never be relied on, as he had always some quibble to evade
it. His Wife made him hated by the Tenants; and for a finishing
Stroke to his undoing, and compleat the Ruin of his _Wards_, he
pretended the _Steward_ had a Right to hold Courts without
_Juries_, and by his own Authority levy Money for _Repairs_. The
Tenants would not endure this Invasion on their Rights, but stoutly
opposed it; and, after a hard Struggle, got the better, turned him
out of the _Stewardship_, and some of them finding him one Day at a
_why-not_, tied him to a Rope, and hanged him in a Frolick.

The Office of a