Common Street before Whitehall). You see the broken Lance that lies there by his right Foot; He shivered that Lance of his Adversary all to Pieces; and bearing himself, look you, Sir, in this manner, at the same time he came within the Target of the Gentleman who rode against him, and taking him with incredible Force before him on the Pommel of his Saddle,

he in that manner rid the Turnament over, with an Air that shewed he did it rather to perform the Rule of the Lists, than expose his Enemy; however, it appeared he knew how to make use of a Victory, and with a gentle Trot he marched up to a Gallery where their Mistress sat (for they were Rivals) and let him down with laudable Courtesy and pardonable Insolence. I don't know but it might be exactly where the Coffeehouse is now.

"YOU are to know this my Ancestor was not only of a military Genius, but fit also for the Arts of Peace,

for he played on the Bass-Viol as well as any Gentleman at Court; you see where his Viol hangs by his Basket-hilt Sword. The Action at the Tilt-yard you may be sure won the fair Lady, who was a Maid of Honour, and the greatest Beauty of her Time; here she stands the next Picture. You see, Sir, my Great Great Great Grandmother has on the newfashioned Petticoat, ex

cept that the Modern is gathered at the Waste; my Grandmother appears as if she stood in a large Drum, whereas the Ladies now walk as if they were in a Go-Cart. For all this Lady was bred at Court, she became an excellent Country-Wife, she brought ten Children, and when I shew you the Library, you shall see in her own Hand, (allowing for the Differ

ence of the Language) the best Receipt now n England both for an Hasty-pudding and a White-pot.

"IF you please to fall back a little, because 'tis necessary to look at the three next Pictures at one

View; these are three Sisters. She on the right Hand, who is so very beautiful, died a Maid: the next to her, still handsomer, had the same Fate, against her Will; this Homely Thing in the middle had both their Portions added to her own, and was stolen by a neighbouring Gentleman, a Man of Stratagem and Resolution, for he poisoned three Mastiffs to come at her, and knocked down two Deer-stealers in carrying her off. Misfortunes happen in all Families: The Theft of this Romp and so much Money, was no great matter to our Estate. But the next Heir that possessed it was this soft Gentleman, whom you see there: Observe the small Buttons, the little Boots, the Laces, the Slashes about his Clothes, and above all the Posture he is drawn in, (which to be sure was his own choosing ;) you see he sits with one and looking as it were Writer, or a Sonneteer: had too much Wit to World; he was a Man of no Justice, but great Good-Manners; he ruined every Body that had any thing to do with him, but never said a rude thing in his Life; the most indolent Person in the World, he would sign a Deed that passed away half his Estate with his Gloves on, but would not put on his

Hand on a Desk writing another way, like an easy He was one of those that know how to live in the

Hat before a Lady if it were to save his Country. He is said to be the first that made Love by squeezing the Hand. He left the Estate with ten thousand Pounds Debt upon it: but however by all Hands I have been informed that he was every way the finest Gentleman in the World. That Debt lay

E

to us.

heavy on our House for one Generation, but it was retrieved by a Gift from that honest Man you see there, a Citizen of our Name, but nothing at all akin I know SIR ANDREW FREEPORT has said behind my Back, that this Man was descended from one of the ten Children of the Maid of Honour I shewed you above; but it was never made out. We winked at the thing indeed, because Money was wanting at that time.”

Here I saw my Friend a little embarrassed, and turned my Face to the

tleman.

next Portraiture.

SIR ROGER went on with his Account of the Gallery in the following manner. "This Man" (pointing to him I looked at) "I take to be the Honour

of

our House, SIR HUMPHREY DE COVERLEY; he was in his Dealings as punctual as a Tradesman, and

as generous as a GenHe would have thought himself as much