Imposture His Pretence for leaving his Family in the Country and living here Incognito was occasion'd he said to avoid the Payment of 500 l. which he stood engag'd for and for which the Principal had left him in the lurch and which he had made a rash Vow he would not pay Mr. Cullin's Family thus imposed upon supplied all his Wants and paid him the due Respects to the Quality he personated till falling Sick on the 28th of December he made a Will as follows His WILL. IN the Name of God Amen I Humphrey Wickham of Swaclift in the County of Oxon Esq being Sick and weak in Body but of sound Mind and Memory do make this my last WILL and TESTAMENT revoking all Wills by me formerly made And as touching such Worldly Estate as God hath been pleased to bless me withal I do hereby give and bequeath the same in manner following Imprimis I do give devise and bequeath to my Kinsman William Wickham of Gazington in the County of Oxon all that my Mansion-House of Swaclift aforesaid and all the Lands Tenements and Hereditaments thereunto belonging to hold unto him the said William Wickham and his Heirs for ever Item I give and bequeath unto John Cullin Son of Thomas Cullin of the Parish of St. Clement Danes in the County of Middlesex Baker all that my impropriated Parsonage of Sowgrate in the County of Northampton with the Rents Issues and Profits thereof Item I give unto Anne Cullin Sister of the said John Cullin the Sum of Two hundred and fifty Pounds Item I give unto Thomas Cullin Son of the said Thomas Cullin the Sum of Three hundred Pounds Item I give unto Dorothy Halford of Halford in the County of Warwick the Sum of Two hundred Pounds Item I give unto Richard Davis Son of William Davis of the said Parish of St. Clement Danes the Sum of Four hundred Pounds Item I give unto William Davis Son of the said William Davis the Sum of Two hundred Pounds Item I give unto Anne Fowkes for her Care and Diligence in looking after me in my Sickness the Sum of One hundred Pounds Item I give unto Robert Croker Son of William Croker of Sanford in the said County of Oxon being my God-son the Sum of Five hundred Pounds Item I give unto the said William Croker the Sum of Five hundred Pounds Item I give unto Robert Penniston Son of Sir Thomas Penniston and younger Brother to Sir Farmalis Penniston of Cornhill in the said County of Oxon the Sum of Three hundred Pounds Item I give unto Mrs. Jane Penniston Sister of the said Mr. Robert Penniston the Sum of Two hundred Pounds Item I do hereby give devise and bequeath all my Lands Tenements and Hereditaments whatsoever called by the name of Apple-tree Ducy in Cropridee in the County of Northampton unto John Brooking of Rashly in the County of Devon Esq and the said William Davis Sen. and Thomas Cullin Sen. and the Survivor of them and their Heirs and the Survivor of them upon Trust and Confidence Nevertheless that they the said John Brooking William Davis and Thomas Cullin shall sell and dispose of the same and out of the Mony thereby raised pay or cause to be paid the respective Legacies herein before bequeathed unto the said Anne Cullin Thomas Cullin Jun. Dorothy Halford Richard Davis William Davis Jun. and Anne Fowkes And whereas I have herein before bequeathed unto my Kinsman William Wickham and his Heirs all my Mansion-house at Swaclift aforesaid with the Lands Tenements and Hereditaments thereunto belonging my true Will and Meaning is That the same Devise is upon this special Trust and Confidence That the said William Wickham shall pay or cause to be paid the several Legacies herein before bequeathed unto the said Robert Croker and William Croker Robert Penniston and Jane Penniston and also pay and discharge one Bond for the Principal Sum of Five hundred Pounds with Interest which I became bound for with Thomas Walker to one Thomas Irons any thing herein before contained to the contrary thereof in any wise notwithstanding and also that he the said William Wickham shall out of his Legacy and Lands and Premises aforesaid to him devised pay or cause to be paid unto my Executors hereafter named the Sum of Five hundred Pounds to be by them bestowed distributed or employ'd for the use and benefit of the Poor of the Parish of Swaclift aforesaid in such manner as they or the major part of them shall think fit and convenient Item I give and bequeath unto the said John Brooking out of the Monies that shall be raised of the Sale of the Lands and Tenements called Apple-tree Ducy aforesaid the Sum of Five hundred Pounds And all the rest and residue of the Monies that shall be thereby raised I do hereby give and bequeath unto the said William Davis Sen. and Thomas Cullin Sen. to be equally divided between them and the Survivor of them Item I give and bequeath unto Alice Cullin Wife of the said Thomas Cullin Sen. the Sum of Six hundred Pounds to her own proper Vse and Disposal Item I give and bequeath in like manner the Sum of Six hundred Pounds unto Jane Davis the Wife of the said William Davis Item I give unto the said Robert Croker and William Croker the Sum of Ten Pounds a-piece to buy them Mourning and also to each of them a Ring of Twelve Shillings Item I give unto Jane Croker and Mary Croker and also to the said Robert Penniston and Jane Penniston and all other my Legatees herein before mentioned and to every of them the Sum of Ten Pounds a-piece to buy them Mourning and a Ring of Twelve Shillings Item Whereas I have the Sum of Seven hundred Pounds lying at Interest in the hands of Mr. Ambrose Holbitch in the name of Oliver Charles my Servant I do hereby give and bequeath the same to and amongst my Four Servants Oliver Charles John Harber Sarah Winn and Margery Smith and the Survivor of them to be equally divided amongst them share and share a-like Item I give and bequeath my three Geldings and all my Accoutrements belonging to them unto the said John Brooking William Davis Sen. and Thomas Cullin Sen. viz. my Bright Bay Gelding to the said Thomas Cullin and my Black Gelding to the said William Davis and my Dapple-grey Gelding to the said John Brooking All the Arrears of Rent in my Tenants Hands at the time of my Decease I do hereby freely acquit and discharge And all the rest and Residue of my Personal Estate not herein before devised after my Debts Legacies and Funeral Expences paid and discharged I do hereby give and bequeath unto my said Kinsman William Wickham And lastly I do hereby nominate constitute and appoint the said William Wickham John Brooking William Davis Sen. and Thomas Cullin Sen. Executors of this my Will hereby revoking and making void all other and former Will or Wills by me made In Witness whereof
I the said Humphrey Wickham have to this my last Will containing one side of a Sheet of Paper and almost half the back thereof set my Hand and Seal this Twentieth day of December Anno Dom. 1691. Humphrey Wickham Signed Sealed Published and Declared in the presence of us with the words William Wickham being first interlined Rob. Smith Jo. Chapman Rich. Chapman Mart. Pinckard I the above-named Humphrey Wickham having omitted out of my Will above-mentioned the Disposition of my Estate in Huntingtonshire do hereby make this Addition to and part of my said Will in manner following I give and bequeath all my Lands Tenements and Hereditaments called Pryor's Farm and all other my Estate in Holly-well and Needing-worth unto the above-named John Brooking William Davis Sen. and Thomas Cullin Sen. and the Survivor of them and their Heirs and the Heirs of the Survivor of them under this special Trust and Confidence that the said John Brooking William Davis and Thomas Cullin shall sell and dispose of the same and out of the Monies thereby raised pay or cause to be paid the respective Legacies hereafter named viz. I give and bequeath to Humphrey Longford the Sum of Six hundred Pounds and to his Sister Mary Longford the like Sum of Six hundred Pounds Item I give and bequeath unto the said Thomas Cullin Sen. the further Sum of Eight hundred Pounds and all the Remainder of the Monies thereby raised I give and bequeath unto the said William Davis Sen. and Jane his Wife and the Survivor of them Item Whereas I have by Will above-said given unto John Cullin Son of the said Thomas Cullin the impropriated Parsonage of Sowgrave my true meaning is That I do give and devise the same to the said John Cullin and his Heirs for ever In witness whereof I the said Humphrey Wickham have to this Codicil Addition or further part of my said Will set my Hand and Seal this Twenty eighth day of December Anno Dom. 1691. Humphrey Wickham Signed Sealed Published and Declared in the presence of us Robert Smith John Chapman Richard Chapman Martin Pinkard Probatum fuit c. This stupendious Confidence of a dying Man is very amazing nay he drove on the Masquerade at that strange rate that he may be truly said to have ended as he began having received the Blessed Sacrament pretended the Settlement of his Conscience and making Peace with Heaven with that seeming Sincerity as if he had resolved to prevaricate with God with the same Assurance he had all along done with Mankind The Credulity of these deluded Persons his Landlord and the rest is not much to be wonder'd at when the last Gasps of Death could carry so fair an Hypocrisie and their Transports for his extravagant Legacies bequeathed them are rather to be pitied than ridicul'd And if they have been faulty in any little Over-fondness of their imaginary good Fortune the Jests and Gibes they have received have been their sufficient Punishment besides Mr. Cullin's being run out of above 30 l. After his Death care was taken to provide him a Coffin of about 10 l. value and the Embalmers were paid for some of their Office of preserving him Sweet till Preparations for a solemn and sumptuous Funeral could be made suitable to the remains of the honourable Deceased And this Letter was sent as follows SIR THESE serve to inform you that Humphrey Wickham Esq of Swaclift in the County of Oxon died this Morning at my House where he has been about ten days He has made his Will and you are one of his Executors with me and others A very great share of his Estate is given to you therefore pray Sir speed to London that we may take care of his Funeral and other matters necessary to be done upon this occasion I think it may not be amiss that you keep this private lest any thing may be Purloined or Imbezelled by any of the Deceased's Servants or any else at his Seat at Swaclift which is all given to you some Legacies thereout to be paid I am Sir your Servant Thomas Cullin London January 3. 1691. From my House at the Wheat-sheaf near St. Clement 's Church over against Arundel-street Strand To Mr. William Wickham of Gazington inquire at the Blew Boars Head in Oxon. These following Lines were inclosed from the aforesaid Executors in the said Letter being left by the Deceased WHereas I Humphrey Wickham Esq in Company with my own Man John Harbert and John Austin Son of Nicholas Austin did carry a black Hogs-skin Trunk marked with the Letters H.W. 1688. Wherein are the Deeds of my Estate at Sowgrave and Apple-tree Ducy these are to desire you to deliver them to the Executors signed with his own Name thus Humphrey Wickham Memorandum That there are two Mortgages in the hands of Austin the one for 1400 l. and the other for 400 l. in the name of Oliver Charles in the hands of Mr. Ambrose Holbech In answer to this Letter came a Gentleman from Oxford to tell Mr. Cullin that the Christian-name of this Mr. Wickham of Gazington was mistaken which gave the first Alarm of an Imposture otherwise Hearse and Mourning had been provided to have carried him down to Swackley for his Interment there Mr. Cullin being not over-apt to believe himself cheated but more to satisfie the rest of the World sent down a Messenger to Swackley with fifteen Shillings in his Pocket mounted upon a poor Hackney but ordered to return upon the Bright Bay Gelding bequeathed him in his Will being not convinc'd of the Delusion till his Messenger's return notwithstanding several Persons of Reputation had declar'd him a Counterfeit and Major Richardson and Mr. Compton had both inspected the Corps and averred him to be the very Man formerly judged for six Wives as before mentioned and more than once their Prisoner in Newgate The Messenger returning Tuesday the 12th of Jan. 1691. he brought a Compliment to the Executors from Captain Wickham who had treated the Messenger very civilly to this effect That he gave them his hearty Thanks for their intended Kindness to him and if they would please to come to Swackley for a Month or more they should be very welcom and have the use of all the Geldings viz. the Black the Bright-Bay the Dapple-Gray though he could not well part with them for good and all Upon this full Satisfaction received about three the next Morning with no more than a Watchman and a Lanthorn in a Coffin of four Shillings price he was laid in the Earth in a Nook of St. Clement's Church-yard The Nurse and Assistants that attended him in his Sickness now call to mind that they once or twice observed him to laugh to himself very pleasantly which they suppose proceeded from the pleasure he took in cheating the World he was then just upon leaving To conclude with his Frauds and Impostures besides the grandest and boldest of them all that he left the World in he was
concluded he would be so civil to her that since her extravagant Affection had brought her thus far to visit him he would return her the Favour of riding himself to Hereford to fetch her if his kind Father would procure him a Horse Ay with all his Heart Nay both Father and Daughter proffer'd to take the same Journy with him to pay their Respects to the young Lady and attend upon her as part of her Train to Ludlow No by no means replied our Spark that was more than the Rules of Honour would allow For his Dear Bride as his Wife was a Person in Quality above her and whatever Kindnesses she pleased to shew her when at Ludlow was in her free Power but this complaisance was too great a Condescention and consequently he beg'd her leave that the Tenderness he had of her Honour might absolutely forbid her any such thought And indeed his Father 's was much the same Condescention which he must likewise no way suffer The Father and Daughter both silenc'd with this answer acquiesced with his Reasons as being much a more experienc'd Master of Ceremonies than they could pretend to consenting to let him go alone only attended by the Sisters Page in the mean while resolving to apply their officious Respects to this fair tho yet unknown Relation another way viz. in making a suitable Preparation for her honourable Reception But first a very stately Horse was borrow'd one that a Colonel of the Guards had lately bid a lumping Sum for with all Accoutrements answerable And at mounting our Cavalier whispering in his Father's Ear and telling him he had been long from home and not knowing whether his remaining Stock might hold out to his present Occasions he desired The Father would not hear out the Speech but running up stairs presently fetch'd down and stole into his hand a silk Purse richly lined with Twenty Broad Pieces Our Squire thus every way oblig'd after his due Conges all made bids them all Farewel till to morrow and so prances off Here let us leave the Father and Daughter as busie for the Credit of the Cause as may be imagin'd making all suitable Provision for to morrow's Entertainment the Kitchin and Pantry the Bed-Chamber and the Court-Cupboard must all appear in Splendor extraordinary And now to return to our Traveller Heaven knows he had the Misfortune to miss his way for he never found Hereford nor Sister His Barb too found another Chapman than the Colonel of the Guards for both Horse and Accoutrements all embargo'd and the dismounted Cavalier slipt into a Frize-Coat of his Man Tom's providing who waited his coming the Master Page and Tom in a small prepared Vessel trol'd down the Severn as fast as Tide and good Speed could carry them As we thunder'd down the Severn one of our Strollers being at present useless our Page well rewarded for playing his part in the Farse is dropt at Worcester from whence we continue our Voyage to Bristol Arrived there pretty late in a Summers Evening 't is not thought convenient to appear in any Dress whatever had been seen before at Ludlow nor indeed to expose his Face lest any Inquiry might be made there about him as a Sherry-Merchant and so trunking up all his best Rayment he gets himself new rigg'd at a Salesman's in a genteel Garb but something modester than his Ludlow Bravery and Tom and he next Morning move off to Bath It fortunes here that he Quarters at one of the great Inns it being the beginning of the Summer just before Bath time where was a brisk Daughter of the House about half way Stage between 20 and 30 and consequently much inclinable Manwards A Girl that had had the Honour of many a slap cross the Mouth and chuck under the Chin by Lords and Earls in her time her Father 's honourable Guests at Bath-Season Our most constant Lover of every new Face feels the old Itch again business he finds will thicken upon him and therefore flush'd with his late Successes he resolves to throw out his winning Hand as far as it will run But now to know what Portion this Damsel had for without a Spill of Yellow-boys naked White and Red has but indifferent Charms with him This Intelligence was quickly made without asking the question for there was a Jest in the Family of one of the Drawers being Suitor there who belike wanted a tite Sum of 80 l. to set up withal a small Portion of hers formerly left her by a Grandfather and now at use This Drawer forsooth was a Rival but not an over-formidable one For truly our Inn-keepers Daughter had so often been tickled with the Addresses of Quality that Foh her Father's Drawer was scarce worthy to hold up her Train a Gentleman or nothing for her Nay if she has not the Happiness to strike in for a Lease for Life at Bed and Board with some honourable Person rather than die in Ignorance keep a stale Maiden-head and so lead Apes she has long since resolved not to stand out at a lower Game and e'en admit a Tenant at Will to an Inmate of Fashion and Quality and was grosly suspected she had tried the Constitution of her Body under a Load of Honour long before her present Year of twenty five But true or false that 's a small Blot in her Scutchion Our Don John is absolutely captivated and plies her home with all the Rhetorick that Love can afford Our Man Tom in the mean while but very modestly is whispering amongst his Mates the lower Tire of the Family the Servants what a Worthy Gentleman his Master is being a Rich Norfolk Gentleman a pretty large Stride from Bathe of 500 a Year This Narrative passes pretty well amongst the shallower Pates the Chamberlain the Tapster the Hosler and the rest of the inferior Domesticks but our hard-faith'd young Mistress of the House whether bit before or naturally not over-credulous does as good as declare That her Principles are to look before she leaps Our Norfolk Suitor finds his Addresses very acceptable but still with a Reserve Provided he be the Man he appears He plainly sees that the Girl upon good Grounds is very pliable but she 's a little past the Years of being dandled and kist out of her Reason He or any Man else any Tooth good Barber with Honour and Estate may go far with her but Demonstration is the only Argument that must carry her Cause As many Years as she has lived or at least past for a Maid she is not so hard set but she can tarry till Substantial Testimony as far off as Norfolk lies can make out the Lands and Tenements before she consents to an Inclosure Our Spark therefore put to his last Trumps finds this last a craggier and more difficult Enterprize than any he had ever yet encountred however thinking it a very great Scandal to his Wit to lie down before her and shamefully for want of Ammunition be forced to
Intimacy and also gain'd some considerable Light into Sea-Affairs His Landlady to give her her due was a Pretty Handsom Little Tight Woman but what was her yet greater Charm she was worth above a hundred good Pounds Here our Traveller upon the Authority of the fair Credentials in his Pocket pretends himself a Surgeon to such a Ship that lay out at Sea and that his Chest of Medicines were coming down from London in order to his Streights Voyage Though the Instruments in the Pocket seem'd some small Testimonial of his Doctorships Capacity yet the Breeches that held them and the rest of his outward Furniture being indeed something Shabby and Thread-bare did not altogether look like the Habilements of a Graduate Medicinal Professor And truly his good Hostess from that slender outward Appearance was not apt to have over-much Faith in the case Besides he had that cloudy Hand for a Learned Manual Operator that she would sometimes merrily Joak upon his not over-neat Palm for a Chyrurgion But that Objection was soon answer'd and she was readily given to understand that he profess'd Chymistry as well as Surgery and the making up of his own Medicines had a little tinctured his Hands and so the remains of the Cobler's-Wax were slur'd off under a more honourable Pretention Our Brisk Youth now makes bold Suit to his Landlady in no less Capacity than an humble Servant of hers The cunning Gypsie not easily over-reach'd and besides not much taken with his Person gave him but slender Reception 'T is true he spent his Mony briskly and so far she could hear of that Ear but was somewhat Deaf on the other for truly as I said before she wanted Faith However her Passionate Admirer was not wanting not only in pushing on heartily but likewise in great Rodomontadoes of an Estate he had at Worcester of 30 l. per annum free-Free-land with twenty other high Romances But all this wrought but little upon his too Cold and too Coy Mistress till at last by the help of his Tarpawling Chambermate whom he had made of his Party a very Comical Project was formed to try what Titillation could best work upon her Our Sea-Friend therefore an old Weather-beaten Tar who had several times lodg'd at this House and by that means was very Intimate with the good Dame takes an occasion one Evening to drink a Pot and a Quartern with her privately to tell her something that very nearly concern'd her This private Interview was no sooner obtain'd but our Tar with a very serious Face began by the way of a Counsellor and Friend to bid her have a care of his Bed-fellow not but he loved him well enough as a Chamber-fellow but not half so well as he loved his good Landlady whom he had known so many Years together and receiv'd so many Civilities from In short he had discover'd that this Doctor made Love to her and he supposed to Marry her But take heed what she does for to his certain knowledge instead of a Man he was rather a Monster A Monster replied the Hostess somewhat amazed Ay a Monster for he was his Bed-fellow and he could Swear what he had seen and known Truly under the Rose he was such a Devil of a Fellow that he was more a Horse than a Man Nay she might do what she pleased yet he was sure that if he once came to lay her a-board a poor little Creature as she was he would certainly tear her to pieces from the very Stern to the Poop For as he said before Never was such a Monster of a Man The Good Dame mighty kindly thank'd him for his Friendly Advice and she should take her Measures accordingly In fine a great deal of kind Caution he gave her and came so far to particulars as almost to tell her the very Dimensions how many Half-crowns he could sweep off c. The next Morning our young Doctor desir'd the Favour of a Mornings-Draught with his Fair Landlady which was readily granted and when he came to drink to her he found the Bowl so extraordinary Spiced and Sugar'd so much Sweeter than usual that he could not but make her a kind Salute In fine both the Bowl and the fair Ganymede the Hospitality and the Hostess all sweetned at a strange Rate and our happy Inamorato had that Access to her soft warm Lips that he never bill'd half so close before This kind Mornings Entertainment was not concluded till the Generous Widow proposes a Frolick to-morrow Morning to Chichester to visit some Relations there in which she desires the Honour of the Doctor 's good Company Our Spark receiv'd the Invitation very thankfully only he must deny himself that Happiness by reason he was at present his Wardrobe being not yet arriv'd from London in that Dishabileâ— that he should disgrace both her and her Friends by his too poor outward Appearance The Widow immediately excused that Want by telling him that Fault should be mended the Town of Portsmouth should furnish him c. The Spark replied very frankly That truly till his Return from London he was not at present strong enough in Pocket for such a Purchase The Generous Widow bid him not trouble himself in that Point for she would accommodate him and wait his time for his Repayment And accordingly that very Afternoon he was at the kind Widows own proper Charge equip'd Cap-a-pee with a new Suit Hat and all other Accoutrements to the Tune of upwards of 7 l. besides some very fine Linnen Relicks of her old Husbands And the next Morning a Brace of very fine Gallopers were provided and our mounted Doctor A-la-mode de Cavalier pranc'd with the gay Widow to Chichester When he came thither he was very courteously receiv'd by the Widows Relations being People of pretty good Fashion where the Widow a little profuse in her new Gallant 's Commendations gave an extraordinary Character both of his Quality his Parts his Profession and what not What a fair Estate he had at Worcester and what a fairer Name he had amongst the College of Physicians and the whole World that knew his Merit which in respect to their Relation much heightned the Reception he found amongst them Matters going on thus swimmingly and a great deal of Mirth passing of all hands the Doctor publickly avow'd his Pretensions to the Widow and the Widow as frankly acknowledg'd the Honour he did her in his favourable Thoughts towards her To conclude the Affair went on so briskly that the Match before the whole Kindred was struck up that very Night and Execution resolved the very next Morning which was accordingly performed But now by the bye the Reader is to consider how her Tarpawling's Advice had warn'd her of the Dangers of Marrying this Monster of a Man and that the least she must expect was to be downright kill'd nevertheless by a certain kind of Courage natural to the whole Sex of running the Risk of that sweet sort of Martyrdom she resolves