me, wherefore, my lord, I put it upon this issue for the present, let him take his oath that I am not his wife; he dares not do it. Lord S--x said that would be descending below his dignity. Well, my lord, since he is now a man of quality, I am loath to expose him in a public court, and am ready to forget what is passed, if he will return with me to his own house. My dear lord Lateran, you know how you have wronged me, but I will never mention the injury, all shall be buried in oblivion, and will seal this promise with a virtuous kiss. I was going round to him, and he seeing no way to avoid me, leaped over the table, threw down some chairs, broke a few glasses, threw open the door, ran down stairs, threatening to kill the man who would stop him, and swore he would never more enter that house. In the streets he had all the actions of a madman, lifting his hands to heaven, doubling his fists, stamping; and as a footman who followed him, reported, threatening me with death. When the laugh was over, which made some of the company hold their sides, and others wipe their eyes, lord S- -x ordered me to sit down, take a glass, and give the company my story; I obeyed his lordship, and was as succinct as possible. When I had finished my history, every one at table made me a present of five shillings, and my lord S- -x bid me take a bottle of wine home with

me.

Soon after this, having made money of my goods, I left Paddington and went to Charles-street, Westminster. Here having an order from the governors of Chelsea College to appear at the Board, as all do, at a certain time, who receive pensions as invalids, I went and made my appearance. In returning home through the Five-fields, I fell in with two pensioners, who had been on the same errand; one of them, who was an intimate acquaintance, stopped me to inquire after my health. His companion took an opportunity, from the

difference of our pensions to abuse me, as undeserving that I enjoyed, having never done anything for the government. Nettled at this treatment, I made a comparison between his and my service, greatly to my own advantage, and concluded with calling him a faggot and a cowardly dog, Stung with this appellation, he was resolved to show his bravery, for he drew, and made a thrust at me, who had no other weapon than my stick, with which I put by his pass, closed in with him, wrenched the sword out of his hand, threw it over the bank, fell upon him with my oaken plant, broke his head in two places, and belaboured him till he cried Peccavi. Two gentlemen, spectators of the fray, offered a me ten shilling treat, but my business would not let me accept it.

I now waited about the court that I might be in the way of my benefactors, and often received their benevolence, which enabled me to return to and settle in my native country. I took a house as near as possible to the castle, as I had great dependence on the lord lieutenant lord C-t's family, and, indeed, his lordship's servants were the best customers I had, as my lord himself was my best friend, often giving me money to pay my rent, beside a privilege he allowed me, exclusive of all others to sell beer in the Deer Park on a review day; but, as there was a greater call for liquor than I could furnish, I gave a license to two others.

I stayed but one year in Ireland, which was as much owing to my inclination to rambling as to my business not answering my expectation; but while I was in Dublin, I happened one day to espy the Rev. Mr. Howell, who, as I have before shown, robbed me of my maiden treasure; he also had a sight of, and endeavoured to speak to me: I avoided him, and by turning into a coffee-house, eluded his design. He was now married, the father of eleven children, and settled in Shropshire, where my husband at this time was.

He,

finding that I carefully avoided giving him an opportunity to converse with me, went home to his brother's, where he lodged while in Dublin, and appeared very melancholy; every one inquired into the cause of his visible alteration; but his sister, alone could extort the secret from him. He told her that he had seen me, which brought fresh to his memory the injury he had done me, and the perjury he had been guilty of; that a reflection upon his injustice was intolerable, and gave him such pain, that he believed he should never recover his peace of mind. His sister would have sent for me, but he would not suffer her; For, said he, I am sure she will not come, her resentment of the wrong I have done her is too strong. The next day he left Dublin, and about seven weeks after, his sister meeting me, read a letter, which gave her the melancholy account of his having destroyed himself. Change of kingdoms had made no change in his temper; his sadness daily increased, and he could find no ease, wherefore he resolved to put an end to his life, which was a torture to him to this end, he one day rose very early, and went into his study; his wife, at her usual hour, got up, and preparing his breakfast, sent one of the children to give him notice that it was ready: the child, after having knocked several times at the door, without any one answering, opened the door, found him hanging in his sash, and quite dead. At this sight the child screeched out, and fell into a swoon. child's scream alarmed her mother, who, running up with some others of her children, saw the distracting sight; the poor woman was inconsolable, for she not only lost a husband she loved, but saw herself by that loss deprived of bread, with eleven children to maintain. Mr. Howell, some little time before he was guilty of this rash action, wrote a letter to his brother, in which he tells him, that the reflection on the injury he had done me, had robbed him of all peace of mind,

The

and brought upon him such a settled melancholy, that he was in a state of despair, and bid him not to be surprised if he should hear that he had lain violent hands upon himself.

When I had resolved upon quitting Dublin, I sent a letter to my husband to take a house for me at Chester. Soon after he sent me an answer, and let me know he had taken a very convenient one for me in that town, and desired me to make all possible haste to get thither. On the receipt of this, I went to take my leave of lord Ct, who, to divert himself, would needs see the ceremony of a camp marriage, so led colonel P——t and me into the garden, where, laying two swords across, the colonel first and I next, jumped over them, his lordship performing the function of the priest, pronouncing the following words, Jump Rogue,-Follow Whore. After the ceremony was over, my lord gave us a treat, and dismissing me, I went on board the yacht.

I met colonel M- -y and several land officers who were going to England in the same vessel. They asked if I had a pass, and I showed it them; but the captain of the yacht (whose surly temper and behaviour, and turning several poor people ashore who could not pay their passage, gave me a distaste) coming to me in a gruff manner, said, D—ye where's your pass? I answered him in as rough a style, and refused to let him see it. On this, he threatened to send me back, and I threatened to beat him, which was no small diversion to the officers, who egged me on to box him, but the captain had more wit. When we arrived at Chester, I showed him my pass, and, at the same time told him, I would acquaint his majesty that he stole milliners' apprentices and made a bawdy-house of the king's vessel, which was true enough.

I lived three years in Chester, and then returned to Chelsea, where I have remained ever since, without anything happening worth notice. I got my husband

C. D.

Ee

into the College, where he is a sergeant, and have been hitherto subsisted by the benevolence of the quality and gentry of the court, whither I go twice a week; but the expense of coach hire, as both my lameness and age increase, for I cannot walk ten yards without help, is a terrible tax upon their charity, and at the same time, many of my friends going no longer to court, my former subsistence is greatly diminished from what it was.

END OF THE MEMOIRS OF MRS. CHRISTIAN DAVIES.