his rent in an imperious tone. None of the
men-servants being in the way, the women first ran one way and then
another; but he, taking notice of this confusion, continued to act the
mad woman, beating his head against the wall, kissing the dog, and
demanding his rent; at last, one of the women-servants came out, crying,
lady, you are welcome to the rent, and gave him a crown; but he was not
to be removed so easily, for now he fell a raving again, and demanded
some merry-go-down; they then brought him some ale, which having drunk,
he took his leave, thanking them with a very low courtesy. From hence he
returned in his progress to parson Sandford's, of Stoke, in Tinney,
where, having entered the house with as little ceremony as before, he not
only demanded his rent, as usual, but a gown for some of his cousins:
neither would he take his leave till he had got a shilling for rent, a
good gown, and some pinners. He next called upon parson Richards, at
Coombe, in Tinney, where he got a shilling and a shift. Having thus
succeeded in his new adventure, he returned to his quarters at mother
Upton's, in Newton-Bushel, where he divided the profits of the day with
his good cousin Betty, and also passed the night very merrily with her.

The next day he restored his borrowed accoutrements to cousin Betty, and,
calling for a pen and ink, wrote a petition in the character of a poor
unfortunate soap-boiler, whose house was set on fire by the carelessness
of an apprentice, in the parish of Monksilver, not forgetting to sign it
with the names of several neighbouring gentlemen. With this fictitious
petition he went to Justice Taylor's, at Dembury, where he was handsomely
relieved: thence he went to Justice Neil's, and finding upon inquiry the
justice himself was at home, he did not venture to deliver his petition,
but begged as an unfortunate man, and was relieved with a cup of cider,
and some bread and cheese. At Darlington he assumed the character of a
rat-catcher, and sold a receipt to a gentleman's steward for a crown: and
under this character he travelled forward to Plymouth. Here, learning
that there was to be a great cock-match, he laid aside his rat-catcher's
habit, and put on that of a gentleman, and not the habit only, as too
many do, but the manners and behaviour likewise. At the cock-match, he
betted several wagers with Sir Coventry Carew, and his own brother Mr.
Henry Carew, the minister of Saltash, which he had the good