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Transcription
Lett. lxxxiii Letters Historical and Galant. 317
" in this generous Resolution. Be that as it will, he did consider about Executing it a moment, and though the height of the
" Appartment made the Precipice very deep, he leapt out with Heroick Courage into the Street, whilst the too preplexed Mother
" amused herself with searching to no purpose, at the head of her domesticks, with a Candle in her hand, and peeped into all the
" holes and Corners of her house, with the Same Intention as Diogenes, without being able to discover any track of human kind
" tho' she heard one talking, nay and walking too In her daughter's Chamber. Her Astonishment was dreadful upon it! and
" unless she had recourse to Inchantment, the thing seemed Incomprehensible. The Lady on her side, recovered from her first
" alarms, by the Insignificancy of their search, had terrible one's for the Life of her spark, and made now doubt, considering
" the heighth he had leaped from of his perishing in that Expedition. But she was mistaken, Love lent him wings, and he
" happily arrived through the air in the street, without any accident, but a bruise or two, and dirting his Surtout. But a
" poor unhappy wretch, whom his natural Occasions had made fix himself against the wall of the house, was the Dupe of
" the Adventure: The Musqueteer flump'd down upon him, and hardly escaped killing him; He got off however with some
" Contusions, and a terrible fright, he thought the Sky had fallen upon him, and set up such dreadful Shrieks, that all the
" Neighbourhood was alarmed. The sly Musqueteer, took that opportunity, and knocking with all his strength at his mistresses
" Door, desired to speak with the Mother, and as soon as she appeared: —" Madams, says he, all out of breath, I ask pardon
" for coming to you at such an unseasonable time, but besides that by my seeing Light in your Windows I imagined you were
" not yet gone to bed, besides this, I say, I thought my self obliged to let you know, that a Man has just now leapt out of one
" of your Windows, he fell at my feet as I passed by, and as we are obliged to watch for the safety of the publick, and the regard
" I had for you made me interest my self in yours. I thought my duty obliged me to pass over the rules of Austere good Sense,
" to acquaint you with a thing of Such Importance; the Man is yet at your Door, quite stunned with his fall, and it will be
" to make him tell what was his design; it the mean time tis play, it could be no good one"— During this Discourse,
" the Lady could not Help casting a Glance at her Lover, the Sight of whom made her resume her spirits, which fear had dissi
" pated a few Moments before. She could not comprehend, what he did to save him self from a danger such as that was. In
" the mean time, the Mother ran into the Street, where the poor Innocent person accused, lay with all his [?] bruised, crying
" for Mercy. He thought they came to his assistance, and began to Implore that of the Lady, when a troup of Valets fell
" on him unmercifully, and forced him with several good Strokes on the back to go into the Court. The Musqueteer
" acting the Commissary's Function, interrogated him in all the forms. The poor devil Constantly denied the fact, and
" they thought of delivering him into the hands of Justice; but after reasoning upon it, the Musqueteer, voted that he
" should be left to his own ^bad fortune —. " It will Cost you money, said he to the Lady, and good as you are, it would
" trouble you to see him hanged. He has taken nothing, so I believe twill be enough to add a few good Strokes to the
" Contusions he has already received, and let him march off"— This Sentiment was agreed to, and the Sentence
" Exectued upon the Spot, by a troop of Valets, who had strong arms, and no great tender hearts. After which the Patient
" was sent about his business. The Musqueteer took leave of the Lady, ^and all retired to their beds. I could never learn what became of that
" unfortunate wretch, for I know no more of him: tis enough that I give you this story for very true, having it from
" the Original. The Musqueteers are none of the most discreet People in the World, so you are not to be surprised
" that this should trust the Secret of the so Cavalierish an adventure, to a friend. Perhaps it may be objected that tis
" improbable, that the Accused Person should not have made reprisals, by accusing his Accuser, especially when he
" could have done it with Justice. But to this I answer, that besides that the Darkness of the night, and his being
" stunned had without doubt prevented his taking any particular notice. If he had said it, they would only have laughed
" at him.
"Our Musqueteers affair has carryed on a little out of my way, for I have not as yet satisfied the Rules, one is
" obliged to follow in a Mercury, I ought to give you Songs, as well as Rhymes, Questions, and Enigma's, and as the Verses
" I have to send you now were made in praise of my Lord Marlborough, I shou'd have placed them where I was speaking
" of him. Excuse this Disorder, and tell me how you like the Dutch Poetry and Musick. These Songs were made
" at the Hague, on the Dukes Arrival there from a Campaign that has loaded him with Glory.
Song.
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