All she did to him was to lock him up in a Chamber for two or three days, till she could humble him; but he was too stiff now to stoop to her or any Body else; wherefore when he had been kept in one whole day, his Mother coming to visit him, she found him more stubborn than before; and he threatned, that if she kept him in, he would be even with her: she ventured him the second day, and came to him again at night, but found no amendment, but tokens of a high stomach she told him, she must and would break him, he said, she could not, nor should not; and if she kept him within any longer, she should have cause to repent it. She was resolved to try, but he was as good as his word; for getting a Knife, he had cut all her fine Chairs and Stools to pieces; she seeing this, was passionately angry, and turned him out of the Room, gave him over to be corrected by his Father; who understanding the Mischief he had done, was resolved to punish him severely, and to that end made preparations. The Servants in the house advised him to submit himself to his Father and Mother, and ask forgiveness, and that they would undertake all should be well again; but he would not yield, but was resolved to take another course; wherefore he provided himself with necessaries, and thus he did.
He went to a Pond, about a mile from his Fathers House, and putting off his Clothes, went into the water, and staid there some time, so that he was seen and observed by several Boys, who were there a washing: he out-staid them all, and then dressed himself, and having brought out with him two Hats and two pair of Shooes, and Stockings; he threw one Hat into the Pond, and left one pair of Shooes and Stockings, by the Pond side, and so went to a Neighbours house near home, and hid himself in a Barn.
The Father being resolved to fetch him up the next morning, expected his coming home that Night, but to no purpose, for he came not; and although diligent inquiry was made among the Neighbour-hood, yet there was no news to be heard of him. The Father was troubled, but the Mother much more, not knowing what was become of him; early the next morning all the Servants were sent out several ways to inquire after him; at length, some of his Companions were met withal, who, upon inquiry told them, that they had seen him the Evening before, in such a Pond; the Servants hearing this, went thither, and there they saw the killing sight of the hat, and shooes, and Stockings; they then concluded, as he intended they should, that he was drowned; those remains of his being, as they thought, but too sure Evidence of that fatal truth. They inquired no further at present, but went home and told their Master, and Mistress, the sad news of their Sons misfortune; he was much dejected at the telling of that dismal Relation, but she was now as one distracted, exclaiming against her Husband, whose severity towards her dear Son, she said, had been the cause of this his unhappy Fate: her Friends could not comfort her, neither could her Husbands perswasions work any thing upon her, but that she would go to the place where her Son had perished. Her Husband disswaded her against this, and promised that he would have the Pond searched, and thereupon gave order to employ a couple of Fellows to rake the Pond all over, but to no purpose; for although they were paid for their pains, yet they lost their labour.
And now the Father finding that the Body of his Son was not to be found dead, was in hopes that he might yet hear of him alive; and he endeavoured to perswade his Wife into this opinion.
In the mean time our young Gentleman lay perdue in the Neighbours Barn; and being provided with sufficient Provant, was as safe as a Thief in a Mill; and although he was at that distance from home, yet he could hear of the distraction his Father and Mother were in, for it was all the News of the place, that Mr. R’s Son was drowned, to the great grief of his Father and Mother: he was well pleased to hear that they were so ill pleased; and thought now he should be revenged on them that were resolved to be revenged on him; the consideration of his Mothers sorrow was great joy to him, and he hoped to reap this benefit that he might for the future rule, and reign in his Roguery; hoping that his Father and Mother would leave him to his own dispose; lest he should hereafter do that in earnest, that they would now find in jest; but thinking that they had not as yet suffered enough for what they had made him suffer, a two days imprisonment, whereas he had not been wanting above one day; he was therefore resolved to stay there a little longer, but he was soon after discovered: for being somewhat cleanly, and leaving his Lodging, to go into the yard to untruss, one of the Family came and saw him; he would have fled, but his Breeches being about his heels hindred him; so that at the exclamation of that party who saw him, all the rest of the Family where he was hid came out to him; and seeming joyed to see him, asked him a hundred questions at once, to which he gave them never a word of answer; but they minded not his humour much, but being joyful of his safety, now spake of acquainting his Father and Mother therewith; he knowing they would do so, and that quickly, told them that they might do so; but withal he desired them to enjoyn his Father and Mother both, not to ask him any questions, for if they did, he said he would not answer them; and besides, it was likely it would be the worse for them and him both. They hearing what he said, did not inquire into his reasons for what he had said, but went home to his Parents, and told them how it was. At this joyful news the Father was well pleased; but the Mother was so overjoyed, that she could not contain her self from running to the place where he was; and there she discovered the excess of her joy, by the excess of her passion, which hurried her on to Extravagancies, in embracing, and kissing her Graceless Son, who received her expressions of Love with much indifferency and coldness: She did not observe that, but took all at the best; and being joyed that she had him in her sight, lead him home.
The Father being acquainted with his Son’s Injunction, that he must not be asked any Questions, concluded from thence the true reason of it; however, he dissembled his knowledge, and, to humour his Wife and Son, said nothing to him, but commanded that he used no more of these tricks, and that then all that had passed already should be forgotten. The Son gave him the hearing, but was resolved to take his own swinge; and by this occasion knowing the extreme love his Mother had for him, made very ill use of it, venturing to do any thing though never so debauched. For if his Mother did not give him enough, he would steal it from her, and all her locking up from him was to as little purpose, as her Husbands locking up from her; for her Son would frequently come at her money; and she would as often come at the Old mans: who was so accustomed to be dispossessed of what money he had by his wife, that sometimes the Son met with it, and disappointed his Mother; but it was all as one, for that if she did get it, it was but to bestow on him.
The Old man seeing that his Locks and Keys would not keep his money secure, found out other inventions to hide it, which he did in ordinary unsuspected places, as among the Sea-coals, or in some hole of the House or Garden. But the Son one time met with a purse of ten pound; and that being too much to be spent in one day, he staid out a whole week; his Mother was now distracted as before, for his absence, but the father soon missing his money, and believing that his Son had met with it, was satisfied that he would stay abroad till it was spent, and so he did; for at the weeks end he came home as confidently, as if he had done no harm. Although his Mother, out of joy for the return of her Prodigal, was well enough satisfied with his theft, yet the Old man once more was resolved to correct him: and therefore getting him up into a Garret, locked him up till such time as he might prepare himself for the Correction he intended. This young Extravagant being thus incarcerated, set his wits at work how to get out; at length he found a Gutter-window, and saw that he might get out to the top of the House; this he resolved to do, but withal he intended once again to put his Mother to the fright; and thereupon searching the Garret, he found all sorts of materials and utensils fit for his design; he first took an old Doublet and Breeches, and stuffed them full of rags, straw, and such rubbish as he could find, and then he took shooes and stockings and stuffed the stockings full of bran; and making somewhat like a head, he put his hat on it; and putting the Coat he wore over all this, he put a rope about the neck of this Scare-crow, and so hanged it on one of the beams in the Garret; when he had put his matters in this order, he sat down, and being well pleased at his own invention, laughed as heartily now as he knew his Mother would cry when she came to see it; and having thus bestowed this Scar-crow, he got out to the top of the house, and sat there perdue, expecting the event.
His Father being provided with all things necessary for the correction he intended him, mounted up stairs, and with him a Neighbour whom he had called to his assistance; and being come to the Garret-door, and having opened it, he cried out, where are you, Sirrah, that I may correct you: there was no answer, nor Son to be seen, (as he expected) walking; but it was not long ere he saw him, as he supposed, hanging between Heaven and Earth.
Although the Old man came with a resolution to chastise his Son, yet he at this killing spectacle fell down, and appeared more dead than alive; and the man who accompanied him, seeing the Son, as he supposed, hanging quite dead, and the Father in little better condition, he ran down and allarm’d the house with this deadly news.