of
hounds, whereby Mr. Carew had frequent opportunity of gratifying his
inclinations in that diversion. It was then that he entered into a very
strict friendship and familiarity with John Martin, Thomas Coleman, John
Escott, and other young gentlemen of the best rank and fortune.

The wise Spaniards have a proverb, Tell me who you are with, and I will
tell you what you are; and we ourselves say, Birds of a feather flock
together. It is generally allowed that proverbs are built upon
experience, and contain great truths; and though at this time very young,
he contracted no acquaintance, and kept no company, but with young
gentlemen of birth and fortune, who were rather superior to himself than
beneath him.

It happened that a farmer, living in a county adjacent to Tiverton, who
was a great sportsman, and used to hunt with the Tiverton scholars, came
and acquainted them of a fine deer, which he had seen with a collar about
his neck, in the fields about his farm, which he supposed to be the
favourite deer of some gentleman not far off; this was very agreeable
news to the Tiverton scholars, who, with Mr. Carew, John Martin, Thomas
Coleman, and John Escott, at their head, went in a great body to hunt it;
this happened a short time before the harvest. The chase was very hot,
and lasted several hours, and they ran the deer many miles, which did a
great deal of damage to the fields of corn that were then almost ripe.
Upon the death of the deer and examination of the collar, it was found to
belong to Colonel Nutcombe, of the parish of Clayhanger.

Those farmers and gentlemen that sustained the greatest damage came to
Tiverton, and complained heavily to Mr. Rayner, the schoolmaster, of the
havock made in their fields, which occasioned strict enquiry to be made
concerning the ringleaders, who, proving to be our hero and his
companions, they were so severely threatened, that, for fear, they
absented themselves from school; and the next day, happening to go in the
evening to Brick-house, an alehouse, about half a mile from Tiverton,
they accidentally fell into company with a society of gipseys, who were
there feasting and carousing. This society consisted of seventeen or
eighteen persons of both sexes, who that day met there with a full
purpose of merriment and jollity; and after a plentiful meal upon fowls,
and other dainty dishes, the flowing cups of October, and cider, went
most cheerfully round, and merry songs and country