I gave much heed to every circumstance of her doleful story, and minded it so well, that I fancy’d I had a project in my head which would give her assistance. _Come Madam,_ said I, _there is a Plot which I have just now contrived, which if it take effect, you shall give me a Bottle of Canary, if not, it will be no harm for you to make a tryal._
She was very glad to hear of any proposition that might carry in it the hopes of getting her Ring again, and therefore freely promised me any thing. _Why then_ said I, _Go into your former company, but first dry your eyes, and express all seeming joy imaginable, and tell those that are inquisitive as to the cause of this suddain alteration, that you have found your Ring again, and then mark diligently that man who cunningly conveys his hand into his own Pocket my life for you that man hath the Ring._ Following my advice, she re-entred her former Room, and counterfeiting an excessive joy; _O Gentlemen your pardon,_ said she, _I have found my Ring!_ Observing the company heedfully, she perceiv’d one stole down his hand into his Pocket, to feel whether the Ring was there, imagining, upon the hearing what she said, his Pocket had been pickt. _Where is the Ring I pray Madam_, said one, and where did you find it? _Here Sirs,_ said she, _have I found it, for this Gentleman hath now the Ring in his hand_, which she forceably drew out of his Pocket, and so the Ring appear’d to his great shame and discredit. Her gratitude for my succesful council did that night so Sack the Garrison of my understanding, that all my Senses _pro tempore_ suffer’d in their general devastation.
_He is like to to be robb’d in_ Maiden-head Thicket. _He tells a notable story of a Tapster and another at Play in_ Redding. _At_ Newberry, _a Horse which he rode upon Tryal in the Streets, ran away with him unpaid for; at_ Bristol _he ran away with a pair of Boots then wanting them; he rides for_ Excester, _where he won a considerable sum of his Host at Play._
The great store of Rain that fell, and made the High-ways like Hasty Pudding, by which means though I rid in Shooes and Stockins, yet I was sufficiently be-booted with dirt. I rid over the Common melancholy alone, but coming to _Maiden-Head Thicket_, there was company enough such as I liked not by any means, and now _Gramercy Horse_, for had not he looked as scurvily as I rid bootlesly scandalous, I had undoubtedly been robb’d; never was poor Horse, and beastly Man so survey’d before, by Devils I think, for their Faces by their Vizard-Masques seemed every whit as black. Escaping that danger, I got the second days journey to _Reading_, alighting, I fell all along, for I had kickt away my Leggs in riding thither, Never did I find the difference till now of riding on a Yard-arm, and on the sharp-ridg’d back of a surfeited Jade; I had not so much skin left upon my Breech as would make a white patch for an _Ethiopian_ Lady of Pleasure. Here I lay three days to recover the damage my posteriors had sustained by riding my wooden Horse. In which time I observed but little remarkable, but a Tapsters Playing with a fellow of the Town for Money in a little By Ale-House, where was sold incomparable Ale, which I found out by the information of a Coblar, the reflection of whose face would have afforded light enough to an Ale-house at Mid-night.