he, 'can do more than
he; he sees me every day, he will be here by and by;' and indeed he came
into our room presently: Poole had, just as we came to him, set a
figure, and then shewed it me, desiring my judgement; which I refused,
but desired the master of arts to judge first; he denied, so I gave
mine, to the very great liking of Humphreys, who presently enquired, if
I would teach him, and for what? I told him I was willing to teach, but
would have one hundred pounds. I heard Poole, whilst I was judging the
figure, whisper in-Humphrey's ear, and swear I was the best in England.
Staying three or four days in town, at last we contracted for forty
pounds, for I could never be quiet from his solicitations; he invited me
to supper, and before I had shewed him any thing, paid me thirty-five
pounds. As we were at supper a client came to speak with him, and so up
into his closet he went with his client; I called him in before he set
his figure, or resolved the question, and instantly acquainted him how
he should discover the moles or marks of his client: he set his figure,
and presently discovers four moles the querent had; and was so overjoyed
therewith, that he came tumbling down the stairs, crying, 'Four by
G----, four by G----, I will not take one hundred pounds for this one
rule.' In six weeks time, and tarrying with him three days in a week, he
became a most judicious person.

This Humphreys was a laborious person, vain-glorious, loquacious,
fool-hardy, desirous of all secrets which he knew not, insomuch that he
would have given me two hundred pounds to have instructed him in some
curiosities he was persuaded I had knowledge of, but, _Artis est celare
artem_, especially to those who live not in the fear of God, or can be
masters of their own counsels: he was in person and condition such
another as that monster of ingratitude my _quondam_ taylor, John
Gadbury. After my refusal of teaching him, what he was not capable of,
we grew strange, though I afforded him many civilities whenever he
required it; for after the siege of Colchester he wrote a book against
me, called _Anti Merlinus-Anglicus_, married a second wife, his first
living in Cambridgeshire, then practised physick by a contrary name,
having intentions to practise in Ireland; he went to Bristol, but there
understanding the parliament's forces had reduced that kingdom, he came
back to London, but durst not abide therein; but turning from his second
wife, who also