As they had travelled far that day, they all eat in filence; and, in a fhort space, the burden of the luggage carriers was pretty much lightened. In the mean time, fome arofe, and unladed two affes of the creels which they carried. The cloth then was quickly emptied of the cold fowls and baked meats, with the loins of beef and mutton; and leather-jacks, that contained plenty of the beft wines and other liquors, were set before us. These, again, were decanted into clean japanned pitchers; and a japanned cup, of equal meafure, was given into every hand.

Then began mirth and jollity to flow round with the cups; never did I fee fo pleasant, fo gleeful a company. Joke and banter, without offence, were bandied from every fide; and burfts of laughter were echoed from the answering hills.

As foon as I was warmed, and my heart opened by what I drank, they all expreffed a liking and kindness for me, and requefted that I would tell them my ftory, without disguife. Accordingly I made an ingenuous confeffion of all the matters related. But, inftead of meeting thofe reproofs which I expected for my wickedness, they jointly began to ridicule my fcruples, and put to fhame the little fhame that I had of my evil-deeds.

My

My child, said their ancient governor, when you have been a fufficient time with us, you will then learn what it is to be wife and to be happy. You will then know that religion is nothing but hypocrify or fashion. There are thousands and ten thousands of religions upon earth, all contrary, and fighting the one against the other. People pretend to fear God, when it is the fear of the laws alone that is before their eyes. God is not to be feared, but to be loved, my fon, for he is a very gracious and a bountiful God. He gave the heavens, in common, to the birds of the air. He gave the feas, and rivers also, in common to the fishes. And he gave this whole earth in common to mankind. But great people, and people of power, have feized it all to themselves, and they have made to themfelves poffeffions and properties by fences and inclosures; and they have again inclofed these inclofures, by laws of their own making, whereby the poor are to be punished, when they attempt to reclaim any part of the natural rights with which God had gifted them. But when the poor, without fear of the laws, can gain any thing from the rich and the mighty, who have robbed them of their rights, they may furely do it with a fafe and B 2

an

an honeft confcience. And now know, my child, that you are come among those who, of all people, can beft defend you and make you happy. We are of that fort of the poor who are above the rich and the mighty, by being above the laws; for they can frame no laws which are of any more force to us than the web of a spicer.

་

So fpoke this formidable fage; and indeed, Gentlemen, however ftrange it may feem, I faw the latter part of his affertion fully verified by practice. I continued among this very fingular and wonderful people, near the fpace of three years; during which time they initiated me into all the arts and myfteries of their manifold iniquities. No fetters could hold them no prifons could contain them; no bolts or locks could fecure the treasure of the wealthy from them. By the means of fpells or certain odours, as it were by inchantment, all beafts became subject to them; the wildeft horse would ftand for them; the fierceft maftiffs did not dare to bay or growl at them; to that all bleaching grounds, yards, and gardens, were as open to their invafion as the high way. They aflumed all fhapes, and almoft all fizes. They became vifible and invisible, known or unknown at pleature;

for

for every different drefs they had a different countenance and set of features; fo that their daily intimates could not know them, except by appointed words or tokens. And thus, without violence or ap parent fraud, without buftle, indictment, or accufation on any fide, they over-ruled the government, and held, as it were, the purfes of the whole nation in their hands.

You will wonder, Gentlemen, by what policy these people could maintain their influence and depredations, undetected, throughout the kingdom. I will account for this matter as clearly, and as briefly as I can.

Though they never appeared by day, except fingle or in finall parties of ten or fifteen at most, yet they kept their state entire, by quick and conftant intelligence. Befide, their prince or principal potentate, who was the perfon that firit accosted me, they had a deputy governor for every fhire; and, at convenient diftances, houfes of common refort for the traternity. Here their victuals were dreffed and their provifions laid in; and here alfo were depofited the fpoils of the public, which, when converted into money, was locked in a strong oox, one tenth for the ule of the fociety on any emergence, and

B 3

the

the other nine for the benefit of the fpoilers, in proportion to their respective ranks and merits.

Before we rose from our late-mentioned feftival. an ancient female fortune-teller chucked me under the chin, and faid, Do you know, my dear, where this fame kind landlord lives, who robbed you of your money? All I know, faid 1, is, that he lives in a little town, at the fign of a white crofs, and near to a great windmill. What, cried one of the men, my old hoft Jerry Gruff? He hates that any, except himfelt, fhould profper by their ingenuity. I owe that fellow a fling, cried another, for once attempting to circumvent me in his own houfe. Well, my lad, fays' Geoffry the old governor, his houfe lies. directly in the way of our circuit; and, for your encouragement, I promise you that he hall refund you every penny of the money he took from you.

The luggage being now up, we went back on the field path by which I came; and coming to a great road, we divided into fmall parties, who were appointed to meet at the rendezvous, where we fupped merrily, and flept foundly for that night.

We fet out, the next morning, by dawn of day, and entering foon after upou a common, we faw a parcel of hories: feeding