walking in a lane
at the town's-end.' With that Hodges swore (as he was too much given
unto that vice) 'your horse is gone, and you will never have him again.'
The gentleman departed in great derision of Hodges, and went where he
left his horse: when he came there, he found the boy fast asleep upon
the ground, the horse gone, the boy's arm in the bridle.

He returns again to Hodges, desiring his aid, being sorry for his former
abuse. Old Will swore like a devil, 'be gone, be gone; go look for your
horse.' This business ended not so; for the malicious man brought Hodges
into the star-chamber, bound him over to the assizes, put Hodges to
great expences: but, by means of the Lord Dudley, if I remember aright,
or some other person thereabouts, he overcame the gentleman, and was
acquitted.

Besides this, a gentlewoman of my acquaintance, and of credit, in
Leicestershire, having lost a pillion-cloth, a very new one, went to
desire his judgment. He ordered her such a day to attend at Mountsorrel
in Leicestershire, and about twelve o'clock she should see her
pillion-cloth upon a horse, and a woman upon it. My friend attended the
hour and place; it being told, she must needs warm herself well, and
then enquired if any passengers had lately gone by the inn? Unto whom
answer was made, there passed by whilst she was at the fire, about half
an hour before, a man, and a woman behind him, on horse-back. Inquiring
of what colour the pillion-cloth was of; it was answered, directly of
the colour my friend's was: they pursued, but too late.

In those times, there lived one William Marsh in Dunstable, a man of
godly life and upright conversation, a Recusant. By astrology he
resolved thievish questions with great success; that was his utmost sole
practice. He was many times in trouble; but by Dr. Napper's interest
with the Earl of Bolingbroke, Lord Wentworth, after Earl of Cleveland,
he still continued his practice, the said Earl not permitting any
Justice of Peace to vex him.

This man had only two books, _Guido_ and _Haly_ bound together; he had
so mumbled and tumbled the leaves of both, that half one side of every
leaf was torn even to the middle. I was familiar with him for many
years: he died about 1647.

A word or two of Dr. Napper, who lived at Great Lindford in
Buckinghamshire, was parson, and had the advowson thereof. He descended
of worshipful parents, and this you must believe; for when Dr. Napper's
brother, Sir Robert Nap