ed with the wine before he had
received the money. When I had been wronged, and asked my friends'
assistance, I was only laughed at, as if they were happy that an
Englishman had the wit to cheat a German.

Finding myself defrauded, I hastened to Sir John Fielding. He told me he
knew I had been swindled, and that his friendship would make him active
in my behalf; that he also knew the houses where my wine was deposited,
and that a party of his runners should go with me, sufficiently strong
for its recovery. I was little aware that he had, at that time, two
hundred bottles of my best Tokay in his cellar. His pretended kindness
was a snare; he was in partnership with robbers, only the stupid among
whom he hanged, and preserved the most adroit for the promotion of trade.

He sent a constable and six of his runners with me, commanding them to
act under my orders. By good fortune I had a violent headache, and sent
my brother-in-law, who spoke better English than I. Him they brought to
the house of a Jew, and told him, "Your wine, sir, is here concealed."
Though it was broad day, the door was locked, that he might be induced to
act illegally. The constable desired him to break the door open, which
he did; the Jews came running, and asked--"What do you want,
gentlemen?"--"I want my wine," answered my brother.--"Take what is your
own," replied a Jew; "but beware of touching my property. I have bought
the wine."

My brother attended the constable and runners into a cellar, and found a
great part of my wine. He wrote to Sir John Fielding that he had found
the wine, and desired to know how to act. Fielding answered: "It must be
taken by the owner." My brother accordingly sent me the wine.

Next day came a constable with a warrant, saying, "He wanted to speak
with my brother, and that he was to go to Sir John Fielding." When he
was in the street, he told him--"Sir, you are my prisoner."

I went to Sir John Fielding, and asked him what it meant. This justice
answered that my brother had been accused of felony. The Jews and
swindlers had sworn the wine was a legal purchase. If I had not been
paid, or was ignorant of the English laws, that was my fault. Six
swindlers had sworn the wine was paid for, which circumstance he had not
known, or he should not have granted me a warrant. My brother had also
broken open the doors, and forcibly taken away wine which was not his
own. They made oath of this, and he was charged