ho were partners, had to do with a
couple of sharpers, who stripped them of all their cash in a very short
time. But what surprised me very mach, was to hear this clergyman reply
to one of the countrymen, who seemed to suspect foul play, in these
words: "D--n me, friend, d'ye question my honour?"

I did not at all wonder to find a cheat in canonicals, this being a
character frequent in my own country; but I was scandalised at the
indecency of his behaviour, which appeared in the oaths he swore, and
the bawdy songs which he sung. At last, to make amends in some sort, for
the damage he had done to the unwary boors, he pulled out a fiddle from
the lining of his gown, and, promising to treat them at dinner, began
to play most melodiously, singing in concert all the while. This good
humour of this parson inspired the company with so much glee that the
farmers soon forgot their losses, and all present went to dancing in the
yard.

While we were agreeably amused in this manner, our musician, spying a
horseman a riding towards the inn, stopped all of a sudden, crying
out, "Gad so! gentlemen, I beg your pardon, there's our dog of a doctor
coming into the inn." He immediately commended his instrument, and ran
towards the gate, where he took hold of the vicar's bridle, and helped
him off, inquiring very cordially into the state of his health.

This rosy son of the church, who might be about the age of fifty, having
alighted and entrusted the curate with his horse, stalked with great
solemnity, into the kitchen, where sitting down by the fire, he called
for a bottle of ale and a pipe; scarce deigning an answer to the
submissive questions of those who inquired about the welfare of his
family. While he indulged himself in this state, amidst a profound
silence, the curate, approaching him with great reverence, asked him
if he would not be pleased to honour him with his company at dinner? To
which interrogation he answered in the negative, saying, he had been
to visit Squire Bumpkin, who had drank himself into a high fever at the
last assizes; and that he had, on leaving his own house, told Betty he
should dine at home. Accordingly when he had made an end of his bottle
and pipe, he rose, and moved with prelatical dignity to the door, where
his journeyman stood ready with his nag. He had no sooner mounted
than the facetious curate, coming into the kitchen, held forth in this
manner: "There the old rascal goes, and the d--l go with him