ton was severely
beaten at home by his tyrannical mistress the cook, who used him so
cruelly, and made such game of him for sending his cat to sea, that at
last the poor boy determined to run away from his place, and, having
packed up the few things he had, he set out very early in the morning on
All-Hallows day. He travelled as far as Holloway, and there sat down on
a stone to consider what course he should take; but while he was thus
ruminating, Bow bells, of which there were only six, began to ring; and
he thought their sounds addressed him in this manner:

"Turn again, Whittington,
Lord Mayor of great London."

"Lord Mayor of London!" said he to himself; "what would not one endure
to be Lord Mayor of London, and ride in such a fine coach? Well, I'll go
back again, and bear all the pummelling and ill-usage of Cicely rather
than miss the opportunity of being Lord Mayor!" So home he went, and
happily got into the house and about his business before Mrs. Cicely
made her appearance.

We must now follow Miss Puss to the coast of Africa, to that coast where
Dido expired for loss of AEnus (_sic_). How perilous are voyages at sea,
how uncertain the winds and the waves, and how many accidents attend a
naval life!

The ship, which had the cat on board, was long beaten at sea, and at
last, by contrary winds, driven on a part of the coast of Barbary which
was inhabited by Moors, unknown to the English. These people received
our countrymen with civility, and therefore the captain, in order to
trade with them, shewed them the patterns of the goods he had on board,
and sent some of them to the king of the country, who was so well
pleased that he sent for the captain and the factor to his palace, which
was about a mile from the sea. Here they were placed, according to the
custom of the country, on rich carpets, flowered with gold and silver;
and the king and queen being seated at the upper end of the room, dinner
was brought in, which consisted of many dishes; but no sooner were the
dishes put down but an amazing number of rats and mice came from all
quarters, and devoured all the meat in an instant. The factor, in
surprise, turned round to the nobles and asked "If these vermin were not
offensive?" "O yes," said they, "very offensive; and the king would give
half his treasure to be freed of them, for they not only destroy his
dinner, as you see, but they assault him in his chamber, and even in
bed, so that he is obliged to