ladyship has been
told, I'll never go there any more.

_Lady_.--Upon that condition I agree--I will go with you; but I will go
and lay out my money at my own mercer's first, because I wont be
tempted.

_Cit._--Well, Madam, I'll wait on your ladyship till you have laid out
your money.

After this discourse they drove away to the mercer's shop where the lady
used to buy; and when they came there, the lady was surprised--the shop
was shut up, and nobody to be seen. The next door was a laceman's, and
the journeyman being at the door, the lady sent her servant to desire
him to speak a word or two to her; and when he came, says the lady to
him,

Pray, how long has Mr--'s shop been shut up?

_Laceman_.--About a month, madam.

_Lady_.--What! is Mr--dead?

_Laceman_.--No, madam, he is not dead.

_Lady_.--What then, pray?

_Laceman_.--Something worse, madam; he has had some misfortunes.

_Lady_.--I am very sorry to hear it, indeed. So her ladyship made her
bow, and her coachman drove away.

The short of the story was, her mercer was broke; upon which the city
lady prevailed upon her ladyship to go to the other shop, which she did,
but declared beforehand she would buy nothing, but give the mercer all
the trouble she could; and so said the other. And to make the thing more
sure, she would have them go into the shop single, because she fancied
the mercer knew the city lady, and therefore would behave more civilly
to them both on that account, the other having laid out her money there
several times. Well, they went in, and the lady asked for such and such
rich things, and had them shown her, to a variety that she was surprised
at; but not the best or richest things they could show her gave her any
satisfaction--either she did not like the pattern, or the colours did
not suit her fancy, or they were too dear; and so she prepares to leave
the shop, her coach standing at a distance, which she ordered, that they
might not guess at her quality.

But she was quite deceived in her expectation; for the mercer, far from
treating her in the manner as she had heard, used her with the utmost
civility and good manners. She treated him, on the contrary, as she said
herself, even with a forced rudeness; she gave him all the impertinent
trouble she was able, as above; and, pretending to like nothing he
showed, turned away with an air of contempt, intimating that his shop
was ill furnished, and that she should be easily served, she d