His titled father, loth the boy to own,
Had him to decent expectations bred,
A favour’d offspring of a lawless bed;
And would he censure one who should pursue
The way he took? Alicia yet was new;
Her passion pleased him; he agreed on flight;
They fix’d the method, and they chose the night. 620
Then, while the farmer read of public crimes,
Collating coolly [Chronicle] and Times,
The flight was taken by the guilty pair,