Page:Adventures of the extravagant wit, or, The English swindler.pdf/3

 and taking ſome friends with him, I directed them where they ſhould go, and in what place they ſhould find them. He would have had me go with them, but that I excuſed myſelf from Taking a conſtable with them, they went and found what they fought for, according to my direction, which they ſeized, leaving the old Uſurer to condole his loſs.

The next I fell on was a young merchant, to whom I went genteely habited, with a foot boy waiting at my heels I looked out ſeveral commodities and laid them aſide, aſſuring him that I would ever lay out a conſiderable parcel of money with him We diſcourſed upon the price, and in the concluſion cloſed. The next day I appointed the goods to be ſent home to my houſe, and in the interim, deſired him to go along with me, and accept what poor accommodation my habitation would afford him, (under the pretence of being better acquainted, but my deſign was to raiſe in him a good opinion of me: for I had one room eſpecially very richly furniſhed) My motion was entertained, and away we went, where I treated him nobly The next day the goods were ſent with his fervant, who expected his money, but I pretended that my caſhier was abroad, and to deſired him to call the next morning, he did, but then I was not to be ſpoken with. Thus he did ſo often till the young man was weary: at laſt the maſter himſelf came, who met me juſt as I was going out; who had not the patience to aſk for his money, but preſently railled moſt bitterly, calling me cheat, knave, &c and that he would not put himſelf to the trouble of poſting me up but would have a warrant for me instantly. Being gone, I was as nimble as himſelf having a couple of my emiſſaries, ready with a warrant for him againſt his return. It was not long before he came ſtrutting with a conſtable: perceiving him