| Citation |
EG.768.001
2 Aug 1768:21 (1/1)
London. April 30. A letter from Gloucestershire relates the
following remarkable and comical story.--A Mountebank and
his Merry Andrew (who followed him as his livery servant)
were traversing this county, they fixed their residence in a
certain borough town here, in order to make conspicuous
their skill of medicine, and to exhibit their usual
merriment, to facilitate the vending of it. At the Inn
where they put up, after having been there two or three
days, and living elegantly (which undoubtedly gave the
Innkeeper no small satisfaction) the Mountebank asked him
where was the usual place for a stage: The man understood
him as Hustings, the place for polling, and after a pause,
said, Sir, do you mean to offer yourself as a candidate for
this borough? If you do, I will give you my vote, and
secure you eight or ten more at my peril; for really, sir,
between you and me, the old members are not very much liked.
The Mountebank being a facetious fellow, instantly caught
this opportunity, and said it was his full intention, & did
not doubt the success of it. The report was industriously
propagated, and reaching the ears of the two former
representatives, they sent a formal card to the Mountebank,
desiring the honour of his company to dinner with them the
following day, which he declined; notwithstanding desired
the honour of their company to drink coffee with him at the
Inn on that evening. . . [12 more lines, meets
representatives, gets 500 L to leave town, does so leaving
letter] wherein he related the whole story, declaring he
was only a Mountebank, that he had no such design, but was
forced into the scheme through the simplicity of the Inn-
keeper concerning the stage. This story occasions much
merriment in the town, and the expense, ridicule, and
disgrace of the two worthy, credulous members.
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