a Day or two be oblig'd to Decamp, or take up his Quarters
in a Jail. 'Tis obvious to imagine that the first Thing that came into
the Ladies Mind upon this Occasion was her Diamond Ring; but, as she
confess'd afterwards to a Friend, the Compassion she had for the
Gentleman's Circumstances had so large a Place in her Heart, that she
does not remember to have had any concern upon her in Relation to the
Jewel; from whence we may gather that Evil Fate that hangs over some
Persons Heads, for had but this unfortunate Person pursu'd the Interest
he had with that Lady, whilst he was in flourishing Circumstances, he
might easily have carried it to the _non plus ultra_, and became Master,
of 15000, as she her self own'd when she recover'd her Passion and began
to think calmly. However, the Diamond Ring was not to be neglected, for
though she had been willing to have parted with her Interest in it to
Succour the Gentleman in Distress, it was too large an Alms, and would
perhaps have been judg'd by the World rather an Instance of her
Forwardness and Indiscretion than of her Charity. Her Friends before
advis'd her to demand the Ring, which she did that Evening, but
understood he had pawn'd it for the full Value; upon which she was
(though much against her Inclination) oblig'd to Arrest him, and had him
clap'd up in Prison: But however, she was a very kind Jailor. It is a
Custom, having the Force of the Law in the _Netherlands_, that when a
Debtor is kept in Prison, it shall be at the Charges of the Creditors;
in which also they observe a kind of Proportion, that a Gentleman is to
be allow'd like a Gentleman, and a Mechanick is to be content with a
smaller Allowance. The Lady comply'd very willingly with the Custom, and
her Prisoner being reputed a Person of Quality, it was an excellent
Disguise to show her Liberality. But afterwards being weary of the
Charge, and finding by the Information of several _Englishmen_ that
pass'd thro' _Antwerp_, that her Prisoner was not the Person he
pretended to be, but a meer Sharper and Knight of the Post, she
slacken'd in her Charity, and gradually brought him down to a common
Allowance, and at last discharg'd him. His Life after that was a meer
Romance; He first went into _Gaunt_, here he took up a large Apartment
of four or five Rooms well furnish'd, which he sold after a Fortnight,
taking an advantage of the Landlady's Abscence. With the strength of
this Plunder, he made a Figure for two or three