Page:Brief relation of the adventures of Bamfylde Moore Carew (1).pdf/17

 These succesful stratagems gained him high applause and honour in the community of gypsies. He soon became the favourite of their king, who was very old and decripid, and had always some honourable mark of distinction assigned him at their assemblies.

Being one morning near the seat of his good friend Sir William Courtney, he was resolved to pay him three visits that day—He therefore puts on a parcel of rags, and goes to him with a piteous, mean, dismal countenance, and deplorable tale, and got half a crown from him, telling him he had met with great misfortunes at sea. At noon puts on a leather apron scorched with fire, and goes to him again, and with a dejected countenance was relieved as an unfortunate shoemaker, who had been burnt out of his house and all he had. In the afternoon he goes again in trimmed clothes and desiring admittance to Sir William, with a modest grace and submissive eloquence, he repeats his misfortunes, as the supercargo of a vessel which had been cast away, and his whole effects lost.

Sir William, seeing his genteel appearance and behaviour, treated him with