not, of a Wretch that sold himself to the DEVIL on Condition he,
_Satan_, should assure him (1.) That he should never want Victuals; (2.)
That he should never be a cold; (3.) That he should always come to him
when he call'd him; and (4.) That he should let him live one and twenty
Years, and then Satan was at Liberty to have him; that is, I suppose, to
take him wherever he could find him.

It seems, the Fellow's desire to be assur'd of 21 Years Life, was
chiefly, that during that Time, he might be as wicked as he would, and
should yet be sure not to be hang'd, nay, to be free from all
Punishment; upon this Foot 'tis said he commenc'd Rogue, and committed a
great many Robberies and other villanous Things; now it seems the
_Devil_ was pretty true to his Bargain in several of those things;
particularly, that two or three times when the Fellow was taken up for
petty Crimes, and call'd for his old Friend, he came and frighted the
Constables so, that they let the Offender get away from them: But at
Length having done some capital Crime, a Set of Constables, or such like
Officers, seiz'd upon him, who were not to be frighted with the _Devil_,
in what Shape soever he appear'd; so that they carry'd him off, and he
was committed to _Newgate_ or some other Prison as effectual.

Nor could Satan with all his Skill unlock his Fetters, much less the
Prison Doors; But he was try'd, convicted, and executed. The Fellow in
his Extremity, _they say_, expostulated with the _Devil_ for his
Bargain, the Term of 21 Years it seems not being expir'd. But the
_Devil_, it is said, shuffl'd with him, told him a good while, he would
get him out, bid him have Patience and stay a little, and thus led him
on, till he came as it were within Sight of the Gallows, that is to say,
within a Day or two of his Execution; when the _Devil_ cavill'd upon his
Bargain, told him, he agreed to let him live 21 Years, and he had not
hindred him, but that he did not Covenant to cause him to live that
Time; that there was a great deal of Difference between doing and
suffering; that he was to suffer him to live, and that he did; but he
could not make him live when he had brought himself to the Gallows.

Whether this Story were true or not, for you must not expect we
Historians should answer for the Discourse between the _Devil_ and his
Chaps, because we were not privy to the Bargain: I say, whether it was
true or not, the Inference is to our Purpose several Ways.