Page:History of the wits jubilee, or, The chearful companion.pdf/15

( 15 ) ſometimes rather loſe his friend than his jeſt, having made ſome verſes upon a ſcolding wife, a gentleman, his patron and benefactor, hearing them repeated, deſired Mr Merryman to oblige him with a copy of them; to which Frank very prudently replied, "it is needleſs to give you a copy, doctor, for you have the original."

Merryman, going to take water at Whitehall Stairs, cried out, as he came near the place, "Who can ſwim?" "I maſter," ſaid forty bawling mouths; when Frank obſerving one ſlinking away, called after him; but the fellow turning about, ſaid, "Sir, I cannot ſwim;" "Then you are my man," ſaid Merryman "for you will at leaſt take care of me for your own ſake."

A gentleman, the firſt time he went to Bath, was very extravagantly charged for every thing by the perſons in whoſe houſe he lodged, as well as by others whom he had occaſion to deal with; of which, ſoon after, complaining to Mr Merryman, "Sir" replied the latter, "they have acted towards