_He and his two Comrades (which he had delivered) disguise
themselves, and having been old experienced Gamesters,
they taught him all the tricks on Cards, by which they
usually cheated their Cullies or Mouths; and also how to
nap, palm, or Top a Dye; With all things thereunto
belonging._
We had places enough to send to for change of apparel, as rich as we
pleased, or as beggerly again on the contrary, according as our design
required. Having layen in _Lavender_ about a fortnight in this house,
not only to sweeten us, but that the rumour of our escape, and search
for us might be over, we got our selves change of habits: Then did we
all consult with our Looking-glasses for the change of our faces, not
suffering our own judgements to pass, without the approbation of the
rest. In the first place I got me a coal-black Perriwig (my own hair
being flaxen) and a small false beard suitable, with whiskers in the
_Spanish_ fashion; It was no great trouble to black my eye-brows every
morning; then clapping a patch on my left eye, stealing out of the room,
while my Companions were busied about the same thing, not minding me,
and coming in again presently, my appearance did put them all into a
very strange confusion. I changed my voice, and asked them what they
were doing; and speaking to them in a tone they were not acquainted
with, their chops mov’d incessantly, but the Devil a word I could
understand; they had got a palsie in their jaws by their sudden
surprizal; To have observed the several Monkey-faces, and
Baboon-postures, could not but extract laughter from the severest
Cynick. Why don’t you answer me, and that quickly, ye sneaking dumb
Rascals? Looking most piteously one upon the other, expecting who should
speak first, at last said one, We mean no harm, we are only preparing
some things for a Mask, which shortly will be presented to the Citizens,
and we are persons therein concerned. I could not hold longer, but burst
forth into an excessive laughter, by which they understood their
mistake, not without shame enough, to think that the apprehension of
danger so slightly grounded, should so terrifie them, being struck dumb,
and almost dead with a pannick fear. To be brief, we very well liked the
manner of our Metamorphosis; and having borrowed some money as the
necessary tools of our intended Trade, we adventured abroad. The first
mouth we pickt up was in the _Long-walk_ by _Christ-Church_, upon the
account of a wager: there came towards us a young man, who by his garb
seemed to be a Merchants man, (he afterwards proved so, and his Casheer)
I stept to him and said, Sir, if it may not be too troublesome to you, I
beseech you resolve me one question: This Gentleman hath laid an Angel
with me, and referr’d the decision thereof to the next that came this
way, whether this next adjacent Hospital be S. _Thomas_’s, or S.
_Bartholomew_’s. Said the young man, I can assure you it is S.
_Bartholomews_. Why then friend (said I) you have lost. Sir, will you be
pleased (if it may not be any great hindrance to your present affairs)
accompany us to the next Tavern, and participate of the losings? for I
scorn to pocket it. He condescended, and so we went together; we
discovered not any thing till the sixth pint, and then my friend, as by
chance, found a pair of Cards in a corner of the window, which he
himself had layed there before. Here is a pair of Cards (said he) come,
to pass away the time, let us play for a pint or so; so I really took up
my friend: _Putt_ was the game; I won of him two or three pints, and
ever and anon I would drink to the stranger, so that now he began to be
warm’d, and seemed to take delight in our play, looking over my hand,
and sometimes prompting me to see him when he did _putt_ to me. At last
my friend played the High Game, as the term of Art renders it; that is,
he gave me two Trays and an Ace, and reserved for himself two Trays and
a Duce. My Antagonist puts to me: I pretended I knew not what to do,
shewed my game to the stranger that looked over my shoulder: he jogs me
on the Elbow; I still delayed; come Sir (said my opponent) what will you
do? I will hold you five pound on these very cards in my hand. I
receiv’d the second jog; will you go my halfs Sir, said I? He answered
me, that he would. But alas, we lost: it could be no otherwise. This so
animated the stranger, that he perswaded me to play again, and that he
would go the moyety of every stake. Sometimes ’twas so ordered that I
won; but in fine I lost forty pound, my Cully being half. He would now
give over, being much perplex’d that he should thus lose his Masters
mony; but that he might forget the condition he was in, we drank round
some half a dozen healths: So that now I thought it high time to provoke
him again to let down his milk by some new trick or stratagem.
Now did we fall to the _Preaching of the Parson_, a trick on the Cards,
which hath deceived the most curious eye, and the wariest of men; with
which we gained from our young Merchant, the major part of his money.
Lastly, to the intent we might without any further delays give him an
acquittance for the rest of his money, we drew out some other
implements, _viz._ Dice fixt for our purpose, as _High-fullums_, which
seldom run any other chance then four, five, and six; _Low-fullums_,
which run one, two, and three, &c.
By these means we sent him home penniless and heartless, whilst we drank
healths to the confusion of sorrow.