rts of peace, for he played on the bass-viol[68] as well
as any gentleman at court; you see where his viol hangs by his basket-hilt
sword. The action at the tilt-yard you may be sure won the fair lady, who
was a maid of honour, and the greatest beauty of her time; here she stands
the next picture. You see, sir, my great-great-great-grandmother has on
the new-fashioned petticoat, except that the modern is gathered at the
waist: my grandmother appears as if she stood in a large drum, whereas
the ladies now walk as if they were in a go-cart. For all[69] this lady
was bred at court, she became an excellent country wife, she brought ten
children, and when I show you the library, you shall see in her own hand
(allowing for the difference of the language) the best receipt now in
England both for an hasty-pudding and a white-pot.

"If you please to fall back a little, because it is necessary to look at
the three next pictures at one view: these are three sisters. She on the
right hand, who is so beautiful, died a maid; the next to her, still
handsomer, had the same fate, against her will; this homely thing in the
middle had both their portions added to her own, and was stolen by a
neighbouring gentleman, a man of stratagem and resolution, for he
poisoned three mastiffs to come at her, and knocked down two
deer-stealers in carrying her off. Misfortunes happen in all families:
the theft of this romp and so much money, was no great matter to our
estate. But the next heir that possessed it was this soft gentleman, whom
you see there: observe the small buttons, the little boots, the laces,
the slashes[70] about his clothes, and above all the posture he is drawn
in, (which to be sure was his own choosing;) you see he sits with one
hand on a desk writing and looking as it were another way, like an easy
writer, or a sonneteer: he was one of those that had too much wit to know
how to live in the world; he was a man of no justice, but great good
manners; he ruined everybody that had anything to do with him, but never
said a rude thing in his life; the most indolent person in the world, he
would sign a deed that passed away half his estate with his gloves on,
but would not put on his hat before a lady if it were to save his
country. He is said to be the first that made love by squeezing the hand.
He left the estate with ten thousand pounds debt upon it, but however by
all hands I have been informed that he was every way the finest gentleman