| Citation |
VGW(RI.768.039
11 Aug 1768:12 (118)
London, . . . May 13. . . 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, and
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 he desired the honour of their company to
drink coffee with him at the Inn on that evening. . . [12
more lines, meets representatives, gets 1500 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, at the expense,
ridicule, and disgrace of the two worthy, credulous members.
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