crates did the News of the Ship's Arrival, and that he was to prepare for Death.

T

CHA P. III.

Wherein our Hero proceeds in the

Road to GREATNESS.

UT we must not detain our Reader

BUT

too long with thofe low Stories. He is doubtless as impatient as the Audience at the Theatre, till the principal Figure returns on the Stage; we will therefore indulge his Inclination, and pursue the Actions of the GREAT WILD.

THERE happened to be in the StageCoach, in which Mr. Wild travelled from Dover, a certain young Gentleman who had fold an Eftate in Kent, and was going to London to receive the Money: There was likewise a handsome young Woman who had left her Parents at Canterbury, and was proceeding to the fame City, in order (as fhe informed her Fellow Travellers) to make her Fortune. With this Girl the

young

young Spark was so much enamoured, that he publickly acquainted her with the Purpofe of his Journey, and offered her a confiderable Sum in Hand and a Settlement, if fhe would confent to return with him into the Country, where he would be at a fafe Distance from her Relations. Whether she accepted this Propofal or no, we are not able with any tolerable Certainty to deliver: But Wild, the Moment he heard of this Money, began to caft about in his Mind by what Means he might become Master of it. He entred into a long Harangue about the Methods of carrying Money fafely on the Road, and faid, he had at that Time two Bank Bills of a hundred Pounds each fowed in his Stock; which, added he, is fo fafe a Way, that if I met never fo many Highwaymen it is almost impoffible I should be in any Danger of being robbed.

THE Gentleman, who was no Defcendant of Solomon's, greatly approved Wild's Ingenuity, and thanking him for his Information, declared he would follow his Example when he returned into the Country:

By

By which Means he proposed to fave the Premium commonly taken for the Remittance. Wild had then no more to do but to inform himself rightly of the Time of the Gentleman's Journey, which he did with great Certainty, before they feparated.

AT his Arrival in Town, he fixed on two whom he regarded as the most resolute of his Gang for this Enterprize; and accordingly having fummoned the principal or most desperate, as he imagined him of these two (for he never chose to communicate within the Prefence of more than one) he propofed to him the robbing and murthering this Gentleman.

MR. Marybone (for that was the Gentleman's Name to whom he applied) readily agreed to the Robbery; but he hefttated at the Murther. He faid, as to Robbery, he had, on much weighing and confidering the Matter, very well reconciled his Confcience to it; for tho' that noble Kind of Robbery which was executed on the Highway, was from the Cowardice of Man

2

Mankind less frequent, yet the baser and meaner Species fometimes called Cheating, but more commonly known by the Name of Robbery within the Law, was in a Manner univerfal. He did not therefore pretend to the Reputation of being so much honester than other People; but could by no Means fatisfy himself in the Commiffion of Murther, which was a Sin of the most heinous Nature, and fo immediately profecuted by God's Judgment, that it never paffed undiscovered or unpunished.

WILD, with the utmost Difdain in his Countenance, anfwered as follows. "Art "thou he whom I have felected out of my "whole Gang for this glorious Undertak

ing, and doft thou cant of God's Re"venge againft Murther. You have, it "feems, reconciled your Confcience (a "pretty Word) to Robbery from its be"ing fo common. Is it then the Novelty " of Murther which deters you? Do you

imagine that Guns, and Piftols, and "Swords, and Knives, are the only Inftru"ments of Death? Look into the World

L

"and fee the Numbers whom broken For

tunes

"tunes and broken Hearts, bring untime

ly to the Grave. To omit thofe glori"ous Heroes, who, to their immortal Ho«nour, have maffacred whole Nations, " what think you of private Perfecution,

Treachery, and Slander, by which the "very Souls of Men are in a Manner torn " from their Bodies? Is it not more ge

nerous, nay, more Good-natured to fend "a Man to his reft; than after having plun«dered him of all he hath, or from Ma"lice or Malevolence deprived him of his "Character, to punish him with a lan"guishing Death, or what is worse, a lan"guishing Life? Murther, therefore, is "not fo uncommon as you weakly con-

ceive it, tho', as you faid of Robbery, "that more noble Kind, which lies within "the Paw of the Law, may be fo. But this

is the most innocent in him who doth «it, and the most eligible to him who is "to fuffer it. Believe me, Lad, the Tongue "of a Viper is less hurtful than that of a "Slanderer, and the gilded, Scales of a "Rattle-Snake lefs dreadful than the Purfe of "the Oppreffor. Let me therefore hear no "more of your Scruples; but confent to

CC my