ed off questions by beginning,
in every company that I found myself in, by speaking of some Church of
England divine with a great deal of admiration, soon earning for myself,
I fear, the name of a pious and grave fellow, but at the same time, of a
safe man in matters of Church and State.

One of these acquaintances was a Mr. Rumbald, a maltster (which was all
I thought him then), who frequented the Mitre tavern, without Aldgate,
where I went one day, dressed in one of my sober country suits, wearing
my hat at a somewhat rakish cock, that I might seem to be a simple
fellow that aped town-ways.

The tavern was full when I came to it, and called for dinner; but I made
such a to-do that the maid went to an inner room, and presently
returning, told me I might have my dinner there. It was a little parlour
she spewed me to, with old steel caps upon the wall, and strewed rushes
under foot; and there were three or four men there who had just done
dinner, all but one. This one was a ruddy man, with red hair going
grey, dressed very plain, but well, with a hard kind of look about him;
and he had had as much to drink as a man should have, and was in the
merry stage of his drink. Here, thought I, is the very man for me. He is
of both country and town; here is a chamber of which he seems lord--for
he ordered the maid about royally, and cursed her once or twice--and it
is a chamber apart from the rest. So I thought this a very proper place
to hear some talk in, and a very proper fellow to hear it from. For a
while I thought he had something of the look of an old soldier about
him; but then I thought no more of it.

When the others were gone out, and there was a little delay, I too--(God
forgive me!)--cursed the poor maid for a slut once or twice, and bade
her make haste with my dinner; and my manner had its effect, for the
fellow warmed to me presently and told me that he was Mr. Rumbald, and I
said on my part that my name was Mallock; and we shook hands upon it,
for that was the mood of the ale that was in him. (But he had other
moods, too, I learned later, when he was very repentant for his drink.)

I began then, to speak of Hare Street, and said that I lodged there
sometimes; and then began to speak of the parson there, and of what a
Churchman he was.

"Of Hare Street, eh?" said he. "Why I am not far from there myself. I am
of Hoddesdon, or near to it. Where have you lodged in Hare Street, and
what is your business?"

I was