honour, reproached him with great severity for his profligate
behaviour in general, and this scandalous debt in particular, which he
believed to be some trifle; then giving him a bank-note for five hundred
pounds, commanded him to go and discharge it without loss of time. This
well-principled heir took the money; but, instead of waiting upon
his creditor, he forthwith repaired to the gaming-house, in hopes of
retrieving his loss; and, before he rose from the table, saw his note
mortgaged for seven-eighths of its value.

Meanwhile, Pickle, incensed at the treatment which his servant had
received, and informed of his lordship's second loss, which aggravated
his resentment, determined to preserve no medium; and, taking out a
writ the same day, put it immediately in execution upon the body of
his debtor, just as he stepped into his chair at the door of White's
chocolate-house. The prisoner, being naturally fierce and haughty,
attempted to draw upon the bailiffs, who disarmed him in a twinkling;
and this effort served only to heighten his disgrace; which was
witnessed by a thousand people, most of whom laughed very heartily at
the adventure of a lord's being arrested.

Such a public transaction could not long escape the knowledge of his
father, who that very day had the satisfaction to hear that his son was
in a spunging-house. In consequence of this information, he sent
his steward to learn the particulars of the arrest, and was equally
offended, surprised, and concerned, when he understood the nature of the
debt, which he imagined his son had already discharged. Unwilling to
pay such a considerable sum for a spendthrift, whom he had but too much
indulged, and who in less than one week might involve himself in such
another difficulty, the old gentleman wrote a letter to Peregrine,
representing what a hardship it would be upon him to forfeit such sums
by the indiscretion of a son, whose engagements he was not bound to
fulfil, and desiring some mitigation in his demand, as it was not a debt
contracted for value received, but incurred without subjecting him to
the least damage or inconvenience.

Our adventurer no sooner received this letter, than he went in person
to wait upon the author, to whom he, in a candid manner, related the
particular circumstances of the match, together with the ingratitude and
audacity of his son, which he owned had stimulated him to such measures
as he otherwise would have scorned to take. The nob