Space will not allow us, or we would have initiated mine hostess' dinner. This shewed to where her charity was our readers into all the mysteries of concocting "Hy-directed, and gave me other thoughts of the action. pocras, cordial water, and damnable hum," besides the May 5.-Brund. The two pretty daughters considered Countess of Rutland's receipt for making a rare Banbury the reckoning was well enough." cake, and my Lord Conway's for amber puddings. Dainty cheer we warrant for the cavalier gourmands of the day, and tempting enough to have converted the veriest Puritan, who, as Hudibras sings, would Quarrel with mince pies and disparage Their best and dearest friend plum porridge, Fat pig and goose itself oppose, And blaspheme custard thro' the nose. THE NUMBER NINE.-Can any of your readers adduce cause why the number nine should be held in such cabalistic repute? In our own creed of popular superstition, it appears to take the place held by the mystic seven in biblical and classical literature. It is still pretty generally believed among the uneducated community, that every nine years some great change takes place in a man's life, and the square (81) constitutes, as all your readers are aware, the grand climacteric, which once passed, there is no knowing where a person may stop. In the Holy Wells, which still retain that designation in many of our villages, it was customary to dip the afflicted nine times for nine mornings successively, and the number is still the great feature in all rural remedies and charms, The eleventh chapter of Master Heydon's curious "Holy Guide," Lond. 1662, treats of the various properties of this wonderful figure, how that by nine Julius Cæsar called up spirits, and did what he pleased: how Galleron, by nine, went invisible, and had the society of a familiar genius," and divers other notable instances no less wonderful than veracious. The familiar phrase, a nine day's wonder," and the nine lives popularly allowed to the race feline, are every-day instances of its use. 66 66 P. Y. HERALDICUS wishes to be informed where Bradshaw the Regicide was born; also the exact date of his birth, and whether he was married, and had issue. G. WILLIS begs to express his acknowledgments for the numerous interesting communications which have been forwarded to him, and will feel obliged by the receipt of any original articles on subjects, either of a literary or an antiquarian nature. Woodcuts, illustrative of subjects requiring them, will be executed at his expense. All communications intended for insertion in the " Cur rent Notes," must be accompanied by the Writer's real name and address, which are merely required as a guarantee of his good faith, and not for publication, except at his desire. Literary and Scientific Obituary. Hoping that some of your learned correspondents will be kind enough to open their "varied stores" upon this BAUDRY, M. Paris, Publisher of reprints of English Liteinteresting subject. V. T. INQUIRY.-Can you give me any information respecting the author of a very curious pamphlet, entitled, "Occasional Reflections in a Journey from London to Norwich and Cambridge," Lond. 1711. It is written so much in Sterne's style, that I should say he must have been acquainted with it. Take the following short specimen. April 17. Chelmsford. Fleas, a cheating landlady, and a large church. "18. Colchester.-Here I took my leave of Oysters for the season, and of the house for ever. "29. Burroughs.-Stepping into the kitchen I saw the mistress of the house nursing some young chickens. I was pleased at the sight, and commended her good nature. But the old cock who stood upon the threshold crowed and bade me look in the kettle that was hanging over the fire; where I saw his consort hen, the mother of them cooking for rature. Lately. BORTHWICK, Peter. Late manager of the Morning Post. 18th December, 1852. At Brompton. CAULFIELD, Lieutenant-General, M.P. Letters on India and Afghan War. Lately. DALTON, John S. Conductor of the Bankers' Magazine. Aged 36. FORREST, Robert. Sculptor, of Edinburgh. 30th Dec. 1852. Aged 63. GREENHOUGH, Horatio. Sculptor. At Boston, U.S. 18th Author of Romance of the Forest. Provost of Eton College. Poetry and Translation of Juvenal. 29th December. Aged 72. SCOTT, Walter Scott Lockhart. Aged 27. Culy surviving male descendant of the au hor of Waverley. STEPHENS, James Francis, F.L.S. Author of many esteemed Entomological Works. Kennington. Dec. 22, 1852. Aged 61. No. XXVI.] FOR THE MONTH. "I will make a prief of it in my Note-Book."-SHAKSPERE. WILL. FULLER THE IMPOSTOR. [FEBRUARY, 1853. him to drink and then sent him home to wheedle money out of the "old woman" to pay the score. On one occaWILL. FULLER was the Prince of English rogues-the sion this worthy was drunk two nights and two days. Beau Brummel of swindlers. He could concoct a plot The reckoning came to seven or eight pounds. Will was with Titus Oates, or pen a pamphlet with any Grub sent with the usual message that his master was in Street scribbler, talk like a lord, dress like a man of prison. His mistress was suspicious, but sent the money quality, and withal defraud a creditor or case a gentle-under the escort of an old maid “who loved burnt claret man of his superfluous cash, with that genteel air and dearly." Will took advantage of the enemy's weak modest assurance which is characteristic of great genius. point, plied her with the insidious liquid, bore off the He was the gentleman Barrington of his day. He dis- money, and liberated his master. After numerous pranks, dained to rob; 'twas vulgar-he swindled. He had a arrived the interesting crisis in his fate the tide which soul above the light-fingered gentry who dive into other taken at the flood was to lead on to fortune.' He left men's pockets, or the dashing vulgar highwayman who his master. His enemies say he ran away, he himself pistol in hand demands your purse or your life; he was says he had leave to go away. We will not stop to disa man of tact and fashion, had a laced suit and a fault-cuss trifles, but pass on until he was retained as page to less equipage, talked of Court and his influence with Lady Melfort, where, like all Court pages from the time Government, and so dazzled and fascinated his victim, of Gil Blas, he was dressed in fine clothes and occupied as a snake charms a poor fluttering bird;-he looked so his time in delivering compliments,' listening at keyglittering and distinguished; his tale was so plausible-holes, and bearing my Lady's' train. However, he was he fed him awhile on false hopes and flattering ex- faithful. To his honour be it recorded, he was sent with pectations of the services he could render or the an open letter and did not read it. Matters thus proplace' he could obtain; then in an unguarded moment ceeded swimmingly until news arrived of the Prince of borrowed all his money and bolted. His adventures Orange's preparations, and the Royal Family meditated rival those of Guzman d'Alfarache or the German flight. Princess. His autobiography is perhaps one of the most curious books on record;-full of adventures, hairbreadth escapes, intrigues with Government, scenes at Court, travels, plots, and we blush to confess it, we are afraid of lies. It was written when he was in 'durance vile,' and although he professes to be very penitent and record all his numerous peccadilloes,' he writes with an air of injured innocence, as if he was a most ill-used individual; the unfortunate victim of others' misdeeds and of some unmerited persecution. 66 He relates that his father was a grazier, and son of Dr. Thomas Fuller. Little did that learned divine ever dream he should have a grandchild destined to be one of the Worthies' of the pillory, and prefer the Profane to the Holy State! Our hero was born at Milton in Kent, 1670. He was a forward youth. Very famous for dancing, and courted at all balls and weddings where people of fashion were." At length he was persuaded by his guardian to visit London, and was apprenticed to one Hartley, a skinner, in Shoe Lane. However his genius soared above the shop. He did not like "being in company with a parcel of silly unpolished fellows, cutting beaver and concy skins." At this time too he found his way to Somerset House, and went secretly to hear mass at the chapel, treasured up little pictures and a crucifix in his bed-room, and prayed for hours together. He was soon corrupted. His master, a drunken fellow, too fond of taverns and 66 The Horn" in Fleet Street, forced VOL III. We have not space for the Queen's escape "in a coach to Northfleet and so on board a yacht with the Count de Lazon." At Calais pier the Custom House officer came on board, and with a French air complimented the ladies and gentlemen and offered to kiss 'the child,' (the infant Prince). When told it was the Queen, he turned pale as death and falling on his knees begged pardon for his presumption. The poor Queen said, weeping, "She was no more a queen, but came there for refuge and protection." A curious story is related of the flight of King James, and his being taken out of a fisher boat near Feversham in Kent, in company of Sir Edward Hales. "The King did much complain of his usage at Feversham where one Hunt, a fisherman, thrust his hand into his Majesty's breeches, and took out of his pocket more than 100 guineas, a small gold crucifix which was Edward the Confessor's, and in this a small piece of wood supposed to be a piece of the cross on which our Blessed Saviour was crucified; the loss of this troubled the King extremely, for by some means it was so lost as not to be had again, tho' King frequently would laughing tell how they served him, much money was offered to any who could produce it. The at first taking him out of the bout: for it seems the rabble knew Sir Edward Hales, and the King was the most indifferently dressed among them, having a pair of short boots on, but the rest had none. The fellows were so civil to Sir Edward Hales, and the others, as to carry them on their backs through the mud, for the boat lay some dis c tance from the dry ground, but as for the King they took him for an old priest, and Sir Edward desiring them to bring that gentleman also, they cried D- him for an old D- he has boots on, let him come himself; and so the King with much ado waded through the mud. His Majesty had in his pocket a pair of very large diamond buttons for his shirt sleeves, which one of the fellows taking from him cried out, 'See this old fop carries glass buttons about him, and flung them on the ground, but the King who knew their value, took them up again, remembering that so it was to cast pearl before swine." When the King was at Rochester, he remarked with a smile: "Among his own guards there was hardly one to be seen at mass, but he was then under the Prince of Orange's Dutch Guards, and about one half of them were seen with their books and beads very devout at mass." Will. Fuller proceeds to relate how he was employed in the Queen's service, despatched with letters to and from England, and risked his valuable neck in the Jacobite cause. On one occasion he embarked near the Tower, but Being observed by some busy fellows the ship was stopt and all the passengers brought back and landed at St. Catherine's under a guard to be conveyed to the Tower; and the hellish mob of the place being in an uproar cried out, Jesuits, Papists, Devils, Bloodsuckers, Murderers, and what not, and so pelted us with dirt, turnip tops, and all manner of filth, that before we came to the Tower, both men and women were in such a pickle that we could hardly be known or seen what we were made of, only as we had life we might otherwise be taken for a dumb St. Taffy on the first day of March.' of Father Corker, a monk employed on the same errand as himself. "The Rev. Gentleman was accoutred more like a dragoon than a ghostly father, having on him. a red coat with a swinging belt about a foot broad about his waist, a terrible large long sword, a campaigne wig and a laced hat, and he looked most furiously." 6 A dozen times did our hero cross the Channel on his hazardous mission, when one night coming out of a tavern, he was recognised by his old guardian Harflet, and his nephew, Major Kitchel, "both mighty zealous for King William." They hurried him off to Lord Shrewsbury who ineffectually tried to pump him; Dr. Tillotson was more fortunate. He converted' him and persuaded him to turn informer. The Queen's kindness, the French King's pistoles-all were forgot; like Judas he betrayed his master. For this purpose he was furnished with money and a pass to France, and visited his old friends who received him as kindly as ever. His heart sank at his own treachery, and he was forced to "make himself half drunk whenever he appeared on business." The varlet knew he richly deserved a halter, and to smooth his conscience at last hit upon this notable expedient: "I resolved to keep a strict fast three days together, to spend all the time I could in devotion; after this was done to put two names, James and William, in a book, to blindfold myself and then lay the book down, afterwards walk three times round the room, then take the book up and shake it, and that name which fell nearest to me, the king I would serve; and doing this, William fell as close to me as might be." He summoned up courage at this propitious omen; and placed the Queen's letters in Lord Shrewsbury's hand, who copied and then forwarded them to their owners. His roguery, however, did not meet with the success he anticipated, as he feelingly exclaims,-" Had I been wise I might have made my own fortune, but I found the game and others got it." He now prosecuted the honourable vocation of an informer in good earnest, but was still well received at St. Germains by the Queen, who 66 did not in the least We must pass over all these exciting adventures and stirring incidents. One doubt only crosses our minds, Are they quite true? He tells us how he paid fifty guineas for a sailing vessel, and disguising himself in a second-hand suit of sea clothes, besmeared his hands and face with pitch, tar, and dirt, and took post to St. Germains, where he "had the honour to kiss their Majesty's hands, and was thanked for his care and faithful service." He proceeds to relate how he waited on the Queen, who "Commanded me to go with my imagine that King William had seen the papers he Lord Walgrave to the French King, to whom his Lord-brought her." He stayed some weeks diverting himself ship did me the honour to present me, telling his most Christian Majesty that I was the young messenger who had so often been betwixt France and England upon the Queen's errands. My Lord Walgrave gave the French King the contents of the papers I brought over, who was well pleased therewith and gave me 500 pistoles out of his cabinet rolled up in papers, being 100 in each roll. 7 had the favour to kiss his hand and his promise of future favours. This gave me great encouragement, and I mattered not what hazards I ran to serve the King and Queen, and truly bad I been wiser, I think I should hardly have ventured so boldly as many times I did." At Bristol he was carried before a Justice of the Peace, who caused him to be searched, but "My papers were too secure for him to find out, some being in keys, others made up in the moulds of my buttons and so covered over with silk or silver which I wore on my clothes; and some letters I had sewed up in my boots within the linings." The good natured Judge was easily led off the right scent, and invited him to dinner. A laughable description ensues 66 with Mr. Abel the famous singer, and several other bright sparks about Court." One day Father Sabran, his old confessor, sent for him in great haste. .6 As we were alone, alas, my child,' says he, what have you done? I have a letter here from England (upon which words I presently imagined I was discovered, and standing very mute in no small concern to hear him proceed) by which,' says he, I understand you are grown a great drinker.' Oh! thinks I, if this be all, I matter not; then he for I was not easily recovered from the fright he put me in.” gave me ghostly advice which I received with a pensive look, henceforth he makes no shame of his treachery, and This seems to have been his last qualm of conscience, relates with the utmost 'sang froid' how he "contracted a sincere friendship" with a Mr. Crone, who was afterwards tried and condemned chiefly on his evidence, though I was mighty sorry for my friend as a friend." Patriotism we suppose had sterner duties to perform. Upon his return to England he gave up his letters as before, and taught King William how to write with invisible ink at which invaluable receipt that phlegmatic Dutchman expressed considerable wonderment. He now became extravagant, gave rich liveries, kept several servants, followed the fashion, and ran into debt. Every ball night he attended the play, and set up a coach. The upshot was, he was arrested, carried to a sponging house, took lodgings in Ax Yard within the Rules of the Bench,' and was secure from Bums.' Here he became acquainted with the famous Titus Oates; and the two worthies grew very intimate. He turned Whig and a dealer in plots; and "if that trade had not been overdone" might have reaped a profitable harvest. He was introduced to a Mr. Tutchin, a worthy scribbler, much addicted to wearing dirty linen and borrowing half-crowns. The rest of the confraternity with whom he at this period associated, were of a similar stamp. Fuller has drawn them all in broad colours, "Mr. Tutchin never had any religion that his acquaintance could discern, since his sentence to be whipt in every market town in Dorsetshire. Sir J. Savile was an Atheist. Prime went to Church for fashion sake. Murray had seldom either money or religion. Robin would rather sit and tell news every Sunday at the Temple Coffee House than hear the best sermon in England." Under such tuition he rapidly improved in Whig principles and publishing sixpenny pamphlets. His most notable performances in this line were 46 A Brief Discovery of the true mother of the Prince of Wales, by W. Fuller, Gent. sometime page of honour to the late Queen in France." "A Further Confirmation, &c. to which is added the Author's Vindication of himself." "Twenty-six Depositions of Persons of Quality with Letters of the late Queen, proving the whole management of the supposititious birth, &c." "A full Demonstration that the pretended Prince of Wales was the son of Mrs. Grey." In 1696, his assurance," says Noble, "arrived at such a height that he sent a letter to the Speaker, pretending that no person had been more actively engaged with Sir John Fenwick than himself, but his character was so notoriously bad, the House would not suffer it to be read." He had the impudence, however, to publish a narrative of the affair, entitled, "An Appeal to both Houses of Parliament." At last "his misdeeds overflow" he published "Original Letters of the late King to his greatest friends in England, with the Depositions of Thos. Jones and Thos. Witherington, Esqs." It was a lie from beginning to end, but it was playing with edged tools when he trifled with Parliament. He was peremptorily ordered to produce Mr. Jones-a Mrs. Harris who never appears he is one day at Richmond,' or 'gone into the country,' in town on Sunday last,' then 'at a friend's house ten miles off,' 'will be in town next week.'-Poor Fuller shuffled and prevaricated, and wrote evasive letters to the Speaker; but all to no purpose. He was convicted as an impostor and sentenced to go to all the Courts in Westminster with 66 a paper pinned in his hat expressing his crime, to stand three times in the pillory, be sent to Bridewell, and there be whipt and kept to hard labour until the second day of next term, and to be fined 10,000 marks." Never," exclaims Fuller, " was man amongst Turks or barbarians known to be worse used." At Temple Bar he was stifled with dirt, filth and rotten eggs, his eye was nearly knocked out, and he was bruised from head to heel.' He was confined in the common side of the Queen's Bench, and "lodged under ground in a close nauseous hole such as a gentleman would hardly put a dog in." "We have no air," he mournfully exclaims, "nor is there anything but misery to be seen, which makes me with holy Job cry out, Pity me, pity me, O ye my friends.' In a pamphlet which appeared in 1704 entitled "The Sincere and Hearty Confession of Mr. W. Fuller," this rival of Defoe in invention acknowledges the tale about Mrs. Grey, &c. was utterly false, and merely done to get money. He humbly confesses "he so got lies by rote they became habitual to him," professes to be very penitent, and ends by begging to be allowed the sacrament. He remained in prison till 1716, and beguiled the time by cheating his fellow prisoners, and publishing an improved version of his life. When Harley Earl of Oxford was committed to the Tower, Fuller had his revenge. That nobleman had examined him, when Speaker of the House, and Fuller now addressed him a letter, professing to pity his misfortune but in reality exulting at his disgrace, and hinting that he had received French gold. In another letter he exposed his old friend Tutchin-then a dignified editor of "The Observator." After fifteen years confinement, he obtained leave to live within the Rules. The pillory and hemp-block had not effected his reformation, and this prodigy still continued his old course of villany with undiminished success until 1717; when we find William Fuller was indicted for a misdemeanor in cheating Richard Jones of £18. 5s. The prosecutor deposed that the prisoner pretended he was Lieutenant-General of the Tower, and Warden of the Mint, and promised he would help him to a storekeeper's place, &c. It was the old tale. The Court asked the prosecutor how he could suffer himself to be imposed on; he replied, "he thought himself bewitched." A second indictment followed. Fuller was found guilty and sentenced to two years imprisonment, and a fine of fifty pounds. This is the last scene I find recorded of his eventful history. His Life appeared in 1701, and greatly improved in 1703. He was also the author of two other pamphlets, which I have not seen, The Trip to Hampshire and Flanders," and The Tory's Looking Glass." 66 66 UNPUBLISHED POEMS.-Some years since a friend allowed me to take a copy of " Lines addressed to Lord Byron, by a Lady, in answer to the Bride of Abydos," commencing: "Know'st thou the land of the mountain and flood, Where the pines of the forest for ages have stood; Where the eagle comes forth on the wings of the storm, And her young ones are nurst on the high Cairngorm ?" I believe that I never completed the copy, so that although I have more lines, I should be glad to obtain, in "Current Notes," the entire poem. At the same time, allow me to ask, whether any one can give me a copy of some lines by Lady Dufferin, (then The Honourable Mrs. Blackwood), or can refer me to a published copy of them? The lines are called, "Had you ever a Cousin, Tom?" The first verse is as follows, so far as I can remember: Had you ever a cousin, Tom? And that cousin happened to sing, And if you ever kissed her, Tom, But let that be a secret between us, As an exchange-I wish it were better-I send an Enigma which I sketched a few years ago for the amusement of a little knot of friends, who used each to contribute something when we met at breakfast, in some "blythe days" at Oxford. ENIGMA. I am a singular character, so indefinite in my nature, that to define me requires a change of form. I delight in anomalies and contrasts more than in consistency and truth. I ever take refuge in falsehood, yet my name is one of the first taught to lisping childhood. Though I am neither mind nor conscience, and know not love, my throne is the centre of the heart of every creature living. I am totally independent of opinions, and can stand without support. In Asia, Africa, and America I have made a considerable figure; and all statesmen are generally indebted to me for name, fame, and reputation. The Jews estimate my value one thousand fold higher than the Gentiles, yet I have no share in either of them. Partaking of the nature of platina, I abhor gold, silver, tin and copper, yet without me amalgamation is impossible. I disavow modesty, and am not deficient in brass. I belong not to brutes, but am as essential to man as his soul; and yet without me, the Church has appeared content to receive every member into her fold. Than thus to be toss'd in a Blanket and drub'd. Perhaps some of your North Country correspondents can explain the affair, and inform me of the name of the luckless wight thus forced to undergo poor Sancho Panza's fate. A BOOKWORM. IN THE "PILLS TO PURGE MELANCHOLY" is a song commencing St. George, he was for fair England, Sing "Honi soit qui mal y pense!" I would have sent you the entire song, but like most of Tom D'Urfey's pieces, it is somewhat too gross for publication; however, it contains the quotation inquired after in the last number of the "Current Notes." "Brave Warwick's Guy, at dinner time, challenged a Giant savage, And straight came out the unwieldy lout, brimful of wrath and cabbage." G. GREEN. ODD NUMBERS.-In The Merry Wives of Windsor,' Falstaff says to Dame Quickly "I hope good luck lies in odd numbers; they say there is divinity in odd numbers either in nativity, chance, or death." What is the origin of this popular belief? RUSTICUS. |
