jected to the former, he would run the greatest Rifque of the latter to rescue himfelf from it; which he faid, if Men did not want Refolution, was always eafy enough to do; for that it was ridiculous to conceive that two or three Men could confine two or three hundred, unless the Prisoners were either Fools or Cowards, efpecially when they were neither chained nor fettered. He went on in this Manner, till perceiving the utmost Attention in Heartfree, he ventured to propofe to him an Endeavour to make his escape, which he said might eafily be executed; that he would himself raise a Party in the Prifon, and that, if a Murther or two should happen in the Attempt, he (Heartfree) might keep free from any Share either in the Guilt or in the Danger.

all

THERE is one Misfortune which attends great Men and their Schemes, viz. That in order to carry them into Execution, they are obliged in propofing their Purpose to their Tools, to discover themfelves to be of that Difpofition, in which certain little Writers have advised Mankind to place no Con

fidence:

fidence: An Advice which hath been fometimes taken. Indeed many Inconveniencies arife to the faid GREAT MEN from these Scriblers publishing without Restraint their Hints or Alarms to Society; and many great and glorious Schemes have been, thus frustrated; wherefore it were to be wished that in all well regulated Governments, fuch Liberty fhould be by fome wholesome Laws reftrained; and all Writers inhibited from venting any other Inftructions to the People than what should be first approved and licensed by the faid GREAT MEN, or their proper Inftruments or Tools; by which Means nothing would ever be published but: what made for the advancing their most noble Projects.

HEARTFREE, whofe Sufpicions were again raised by this Advice, viewing Wild with inconceivable Difdain, spoke as fol

lows. "There is one thing, the Lofs of " which I should deplore infinitely beyond. "that of Liberty and of Life also, I mean "that of a good Confcience. A Bleffing "which he who poffeffes can never be

thoroughly unhappy; for the bittereft Po

"tion

"tion of Life is by this fo fweetned, that "it foon becomes palatable; whereas without it, the most delicate Enjoyments quickly lofe all their Relifh, and Life it"felf grows infipid, or rather naufeous to Would you then leffen my Misfor"tunes by robbing me of what hath been

us.

my only Comfort under them, and on "which I place my Dependence of being "relieved from them? I have read that "Socrates refufed to fave his Life by break"ing the Laws of his Country, and de"parting from his Prison, when it was "open. Perhaps my Virtue would not go "fo far; but God forbid Liberty should "have fuch Charms, to tempt me to the

Perpetration of fo horrid a Crime as "Murther. As to the poor Evafion of "committing it by other Hands, it might "be useful indeed to those who seek only "the Escape from temporal Punishment; "but can be of no Service to excufe me to "that Being whom I chiefly fear offend

ing; nay, it would greatly aggravate my "Guilt by fo impudent an Endeavour to impofe upon him, and by fo wickedly "involving others in my Crime. Give me "there

"therefore no more Advice of this Kind; "for this is my great Comfort in all my "Afflictions, that it is in the Power of no "Enemy to rob me of my Confcience, nor « will I ever be fo much my own Enemy "to destroy it."

THOUGH Our Hero heard all this with proper Contempt, he made no direct Anfwer; but endeavoured to evade his Propofal as much as poffible, and promifing to use all honeft Means for his Service, fince he was fo fcrupulous, he took his Leave of his Friend for the prefent. Heartfree, having indulged himself an Hour with his Children, repaired to Reft, which he enjoyed quiet and undisturbed; whilst Wild, difdaining Repofe, fat up all Night, confulting how he might bring about the final Deftruction of his Friend, without being beholden to any Affiftance from himself; which he now despaired of procuring. With the Result of these Confultations we fhall acquaint our Reader in good time; but at present we have Matters of much more Confequence to relate to him.

CHAP.

CHAP. VI.

The Event of Fireblood's Adventure, and a Treaty of Marriage, which might have been concluded either at Smithfield or St. James's.

FIR

İREBLOOD returned from his Enterprize unfuccefsful. The Gentleman happened to go home another Way than he had intended; fo that 'the whole Defign mifcarried. Fireblood had indeed robbed the Coach, and wantonly discharged a Piftol into it, which flightly wounded one of the Paffengers in the Arm. The Booty he met with was not very confiderable, and much lefs than that with which he acquainted Wild; for, of eleven Pounds in Money, two Silver-watches, and a Wedding-Ring, he produced no more than two Guineas and the Ring, which he protested with numberlefs Oaths was his whole Booty. However, when an Advertisement of the Robbery was published, with a Reward promised for the Ring and the Watches, Fireblood was obliged to confess the whole,

and