hting or Hectoring during the Performance, but these
Gentlemen approach you decently and submissive, with their Hat in their
Hand to know your Pleasure, and what you can well afford to support them
in that Dignity they live in: 'Tis true, says he, they often for Form
sake have a Pistol in their Hand, which is part of their riding
Furniture; but that is only in the Nature of a Petition, to let you know
they are Orphans of Providence just fallen under your Protection. In a
Word, demanding Money upon the Road, is now so agreeably perform'd,
that 'tis much the same with asking an Alms. The poor Beggar wou'd rob
you if he durst, and the Gentleman Beggar will not rob you if you will
but give a decent Alms suitable to his Quality. I thought my time so
well spent to hear this Landlord plead in favour of Padding, that I told
my Companion I had often known the time that I wou'd have willingly have
parted with more Money than I was strip'd of upon the Heath, to have
some Melancholly Thoughts driven away by such a merry Companion.

The Time drawing near that I prescribed to my self to remain in
_England_, we were now advis'd to return by the short Sea, which we
perform'd without any Let or remarkable Accident. I have observ'd
towards the beginning of these Memoirs, that the War begun in 1688, was
undertaken in Defence of Cardinal _Fastenberg_ to the Electorate of
_Cologn_; the next War was for the Mornarchy of _Spain_, but the
Restoration of King _James_ was always a material Article, and a very
useful Circumstance of the War. I need not acquaint the Reader how
_France_ was reduced in this last bloody War, her best Troops ruin'd,
incapable to win a Battle, every Campaign carry'd two or three of their
best Towns, the Nation dispirited, and Credit sunk, and nothing but a
dismal Scene of Poverty and Misery: And yet in the midst of all this
Misery, (as the _Spanish_ Beggars are said to strut about in their Cloak
and Bilboes at their Side) so this Gasping Monarch had the Assurance not
only to talk of making a Descent, but actually equipp'd a small nimble
Fleet with a Body of Men, and persuaded the Pretender to go upon the
foolish Errand, as if he you'd have any prospect of Conquering the Three
Kingdoms, who was in danger every Moment of having his Capital Sack'd
and himself turn'd out of his Throne. Cou'd there be a more Romantick
Undertaking, or more unintelligible in all its Circumstances, than the
Pretender's Descent upon _Scotland_?