them, not with an intention to do them any
prejudice, but only of adding a spur to their speed: however there were
some who were ready enough to lay hold on them, and our hero, in a
struggle of this nature, left a skirt of his garment behind him, which
might be done without much violence, as we may reasonably conclude it to
have been none of the soundest; and Coleman was so closely pursued, that
he plunged into the river, and swam to the opposite shore: in short, so
well did these cripples ply their limbs, that none of them could be
taken, excepting a real object, a lame man, who, in spite of the fear and
consternation he was in, could not mend his decrepid pace: he therefore
was brought before the mayor, who, after slightly rebuking him for his
vagrant course of life, ordered him to be relieved in a very plentiful
and generous manner, and the whole corporation was exceeding kind to him.

One method of gaining his ends our hero had peculiar to himself. He used
with great intent to read the inscriptions on tombs and monuments in
church-yards, and when the deceased person had a character for piety and
charity, he would with the greatest importunity apply to his or her
surviving relations: and, if they refused an alms, he would, in the most
moving terms imaginable, implore their charity for the sake of their
deceased relation, praying they would follow the laudable and virtuous
example of their dead husband, wife, father, mother, or the like; hoping
there was the same God, the same spirit of piety, religion, and charity,
still dwelling in the house as before the death of the person deceased.
These and the like expressions, uttered in a most suppliant and pathetic
voice, used to extort not only very handsome contributions, but tears
from the person to whom he applied.

Some time after this, he engaged, at Burton, in Somersetshire, in the
habit and character of a seaman, cast away in coming from Newfoundland,
with a captain, who, by his great severity, had rendered himself the
terror of all the mendicant order; but he, relying upon his perfect
acquaintance with the country, ventured up to him, had the best
entertainment his house afforded, and was honourably dismissed with a
considerable piece of money. Captains H---h and N---n, with both of whom
our hero had sailed, were intimate acquaintances of this captain, of whom
he asked many questions, and also about Newfoundland, which country trade
he had used the most part of t