But now, as the Devil would have it, our dignified Bride is for having her Dear Spouse, by all means, doing her and her Father the honour of staying out the whole Bathe Season (now coming on) amongst 'em, and nothing can divert her from that resolution. This is a very unwelcome proposal; for the multitude of Faces from all quarters of the Kingdom, may not only be very dangerous to his circumstances, but likewise his Norfolk Abilities, long before that time, may be examin'd too narrowly; and therefore not being able to make any harsh refusal of his fair Brides request, lest it should look like design, and to marry a young Girl, and be ashamed of her parentage, would appear so unkind, that he has no Artifice to wean her from Bathe, and drill her out of Town, but by pretending a small relapse of his Indisposition, which he acted so well, that he denied himself the very pleasures of Love, and fell off even from Family-Duties. This Curtain-failure began to moderate her passion for staying at Bathe, for her tame Bedfellow still preaching up the virtues of his own Native Norfolk Air, his poor defeated Bride could not but have a womanly longing for so necessary a Restorative, and thereupon for so important a Medicine to her feeble Yokemate, she consented to go along with him.
All her fine Cloaths were Boxed up, together with several Bed and Table-Linnen, &c. (for she had pretty good Moveables, all the Legacies of Deceased Aunts and Grannies, and other good Kin) and all sent by her Man Tom to the Carriers, and two days after places took in the flying Coach for their speeding to London.
But one main thing was almost forgotten. She had call'd in her Portion, which for a Guinies Gratification the Scrivener had ready at an Hours warning, having at that time some other peoples Money by him undisposed, and hers being out upon Mortgage, the Owners were very well pleas'd to make an Exchange upon the same security. This Money was not to be trusted by the Waggon, but to be carryed up with her in the Coach box, for which her Man Tom beg'd her acceptance of a little Gilt leather'd Trunk that happen'd to be just small enough to go into the Coach-box. The Day of setting out being the Morrow, her thoughtful Spouse had nicely consider'd that the Coach would be in London half a day before the Carrier, which for some Reasons you'll find in the sequel was not altogether for his convenience, and therefore he made a shift to put off the Journey till next Coach-day.
Against that time the Gilt-leather'd Trunk, and the Key to it was deliver'd her, (tho by the by he had got two Keys) and the 80l. some Broad pieces, a Caudle-Cup, half a dozen of Silver Spoons, and some other Toys were all stowed in it; and the Kind Couple are trundling away for London, with the Man well mounted riding by.
Now as a Man of his Estate, he had freely given her all her own Portion, a small Privy Purse to buy her Pins with, having Marryed her only for Beauty, and much disdaining the addition of so small a sum to his plentiful Fortune. The first stage being done (for they had but one Night to lye by the way) the small Cabinet of Treasure was carefully taken out of the Coach, and lodged in a Closet in the Chamber, and next Morning deliver'd to Tom to see safely laid in the Coach-box as before.
The next Night arriving both at London, (whither Tom about Brenford was commanded by his Master to speed a little before to prepare for their Reception) a very fair Lodging near St. James's was ready to entertain her, but no Tom had been there; and coming to open the Trunk, instead of the Gold and Silver Entrayls there was nothing but a Bag of Stones, and a piece of a Brickbat to supply their places, enclosed in a few Rags that stuft up the Trunk. This amazing sight threw the poor Lady into a most violent Distraction, and 'twas very hard to hold her from falling into a Fit, her Husband seeming as much amazed as her self, and joining in the complaint as loud as she. But to abate her Rage, he told her the wicked Rogue should not so scape, he had very sufficient security from able Friends for his honest and faithful service, and their Purses should make her Reparation, till when the Loss should be made up out of his own Pocket. Nor would he sleep till he had made her some farther satisfaction, and therefore beg'd her Excuse but for one half Hour till he took Coach, and made that search and quest that perhaps would bring her some considerable Light into the Villany. Her Zeal for her Loss never look'd any farther, and accordingly well pleas'd with the Kind Motion, she took leave of him for the half Hour aforesaid.
But, alas, a long half Hour, for half the Evening, nay the whole Night was gone, and neither Man nor Master to be heard of. So Husband and Portion all departed, she thought fit to secure her Goods and Cloaths at the Carriers, but the same Calamity attended there likewise, for Tom had been there too, and swept all.
To describe the Distress and Anguish of our present Female Sufferer, or either of her two foregoing Sisters in Affliction, being a work beyond our power, we shall e'ne do as the Painter did of old, that is, draw a Vail before the Face of sorrow, the Lineaments of true Grief being above the Pen or Pencils skill.
And now to follow our Libertine through all his Rambles and Exploits in this wide Town of London, (for there lyes his next Scene) being matter we have not yet fully been inform'd in, we dare not venture to play the Historian any farther than certain Intelligence (which yet we have not received) can guide us, being resolved not to load our Rambles with Romance or Fiction, his Life being furnisht with matter sufficiently voluminous without the addition of Flourish or Fancy.
Let it suffice that some time after all these three successive Adventures, the poor Ludlow VVife comes up to London, being the last place she has to make her quest after this Impostor and Monster, for those are the gentlest Names her Sufferings and Resentments can give him. She has a great Opinion that Newgate or Newgate Roll, or some other such Chronicles of his Renown will give her some light into his Life and Fortune, and perhaps the Justice of Heaven afford her a sight of him at least, if not a power to execute Heavens and her just Vengeance on so egregious a Reprobate.