The country-man and the woman lik'd the exchange well enough, but a sort of petty-foggers, most of whose business was such night practice, having a mind to get the mantle themselves, as importunately required, that both mantle and coat should be left in their hands, and the judge would hear their complaints on the morrow: For it was not the things alone that seem'd to be in dispute, but quite another matter to be enquir'd into, to wit, a strong suspicion of robbery on both sides.
At last it was agreed to put both into some indifferent hand, till the right were determin'd; when presently one, I know not who, with a bald pate, and a face full of pimples, he had been formerly a kind of solicitor, steps out of the rout, and laying hold on the mantle, said he'd be security it should be forth-coming the next day: when in truth he intended nothing more, but that having gotten it into hucksters hands, it might be smugled among them, as believing we would never come to own it, for fear of being taken up for it; for our part we were as willing as he; and an accident befriended both of us: For the country-man thinking scorn of it, that we demanded to have the patcht coat given us, threw it at Ascyltos's head, and discharging us of everything but the mantle, required that to be secur'd as the only cause of the dispute. Having therefore recovered, as we thought, our treasure, we made all the haste we could to the inn, and having shut the door upon us, made our selves merry, as well with the Judgment of the rabble as of our detractors, who with so much circumspection had restor'd us our money.
While we were ripping the coat and taking out the gold, we overheard somebody asking mine host, what kind of people those were that had just now come in, and being startled at it, I went down to see what was the matter, and understood that a city serjeant, who according to the duty of his office, took an account of all strangers, and had seen a couple come into the inn, whose names he had not yet registered, and therefore, inquired of what country they were, and what way of living they had.
But mine host gave me such a blind account of it, that I began to suspect we were not safe there; whereupon for fear of being taken up, we thought fit to go off for the present, and not come back again till it was in the night, but leave the care of our supper to Gito.