where I was.

with Civility-money, to permit me to remain He said the Plaintiff would take any Bail, and was furprized I would go to the Fleet, which he represented in the most shocking Colours to me; but I was prepared for him,- and, the four and twenty Hours not being expired, I knew he could not carry me to the County Gaol, Newgate, before my Habeas Corpus would be taken out, and then I was fecure from the difappointed Rage of these inhuman Gentry: However, my Good-nature operated fo. ftrongly, that I gave him Half a Guinea, at which his Brow began to smooth; and, affuming another Tone, he told me he would do any Thing to ferve me; that I was happy to have fallen into his Hands, who was a Gentleman that had been reduced, by Misfortunes, to accept of his prefent Employ; that many of his Brethren would have carried me to Newgate, upon the firft Mention of an Habeas; but as to him, he was a Man who did not love to prey upon Gentlemen under Trouble. All that be faid was backed by the Man of the Houfe; and I could not help calling for a Bowl of Punch, to reward them for their Civility. At Night I went to Bed, about Ten o'Clock, but flept little; and, about Ten the next Morning, Mr. Brifk brought me News, my Habeas would be ready at Night, which made me very easy, for I longed to be in a State of more Liberty. As foon as he was gone, the Officer came

ing

יו

in, and, taking me afide, told me he believed the Plaintiff was a four, ill-tempered Fellow; and, if I would give him five Guineas, he'd put in Bail above, that should justify their being worth 10,000l. tho' one was a Broomflick-maker, and I might go about my Business, where I would; but that, if I was obliged to flay publickly in London, I might clap in a Writ of Error, and fight him off for a Twelvemonth. I was astonished at the Roguery of this Sett of Men; and tho' it was not proper for me to reprove him, I conceived fo hearty a Diflike to these wicked, incroaching Inftruments of the Law, that I would fooner fuffer an Injury, at any Time, than employ them: To both Plaintiff and Prifoner they will be equally unjuft! Gain is the God they worship! and I'll venture to fay, There is not one in an Hundred that has either Honour or Honefty.

At Night I experienced the Extortion of fuch infernal Houses, and was charged three Shillings for my Bed, two Shillings for Firing, and five Shillings extraordinary, for occupying the Room by myself; which, with what my Dinners, Suppers, and Liquors, came to, in their Way of Reckoning, amounted, for the Day and an Half I ftaid there, to forty Shillings, and upwards, befide the Half Guinea I gave the Officer: Yet this is fuffered in a Country fubject to the best Laws, and where we boast fo much of our Liberty, and the Privileges of Englishmen!

Mr.

Mr. Brisk, a Tipstaff, and the Bailiff, attended me to a Judge's Chambers, from whence, the ufual Forms complied with, we were fet down at the Prison-gate about Nine o'Clock at Night, and were immediately ushered into the Lodge, where a rough-hewn Fellow, ftaring me full in the Face, and seeming to devour me with his Eyes, demanded two Shillings as his Fee, telling me, he was the Head turnkey: I complied with his Demand, being advised before by Brifk, as alfo in paying a Compliment of a Bottle of Wine to the reft of his Colleagues, who welcomed me to the College, as they called it, with great Mirth and Jollity. I alfo paid the Master's-Side Fee, and had a Room promised me that very Night at the Rate of two Shillings and Sixpence per Week, ready furnished.

I was the more ready to go to the Fleet, from the Confideration that I fhould there be more fecret than at a Spunging-houfe, and had conceived a Notion that it was a Place where few People of Confequence were feen to enter; but in this I was miftaken, I afterwards found; for a Fair, comparatively speaking, could not have a greater Refort of Perfons of all Sorts than this Place, where I was every Minute known by fome body or other. Again, I imagined, when my Father came to London, and faw me there, he would be more ready, after fuch a faux pas, as I had been guilty of, to gratify my Inclination of going Abroad. I thought

I had

I had Money enough to fubfift me till his Arrival, for I had been informed, that every Thing was very cheap in this Place, and that a Man could find few Opportunities of spending Money there; in which I was alfo deceived, as the Sequel will demonftrate, for I believe, by fuch a Number of People, more Money is hardly ever spent Abroad, there not only being all the Incentives to Luxury and Extravagance, but almoft an Obligation to comply with them: However, I was now in it, and it was in vain to think of a fudden Retreat; fo, following Mr. Brisk, we entered the House, and were introduced to a pretty commodious Coffeeroom, where, at several Tables, were many welldreffed Perfons, regaling themfelves with Variety of Liquors.

CHAP.

CHAP. XXXVII.

He is painted in the Coffee-room.--Adjourns to the Fleet-Cellar.-Humorous Appearance of the Guests there.-Hears a Character of Speculift.-Enters his new Apartment.— Description of it.-Character of the Place in general.-Divers Reflections.-He joins with an Ordinary.

WE had not been ferved with the Bowl of

Punch we called for, before feveral Fellows, most of whom I had taken Notice of in the Lodge, came in, one after another, upon different Errands, and staring me for fome Time earneftly in the Face, and feeming to measure my very Height, went out again: I expreffed my Surprife at fuch Treatment, at which the Gentlemen, who were most of them Prifoners, I found, feemed very much diverted, and informed me, they came to paint me, by which I afterwards underflood was meant to take fuch an Obfervation of my Perfon and Features, as might make me known to them, if ever I came to the Jig, for fo they call one of the inner Gates of the Prifon; and, indeed, without fome fuch Obfervation, it would be impoffible to prevent Escapes amongst fuch a Number of People as are here confined. Thefe Fellows ferve the Warden alfo as a Kind of Delatores,