The English Rogue: Continued in the Life of Meriton Latroon, and Other Extravagants: The Second Part. Richard Head
The English Rogue: Continued in the Life of Meriton Latroon, and Other Extravagants: The Second Part
is, is just to the matter, not sorted or strained, but natural and free; neither have I borrowed any Sentences out of any Authors, to embellish and add lustre to my writing: what I have done, (and that is but little) I will tell you of.
And now I have told you in general what you are to expect, I will likewise give you a short account of my particular method, and so conclude. First, the Author of the first Part having left his Rogue a married man, and an Inhabitant in the East-Indies, I was obliged to lay my Scene there, and go thither to find him, where I give an account not only of his manner of living, and how he spent his time there, but also of the Government, Manners, and Customs, both Ecclesiastical and Civil of the Countrey; and I have spent one whole long Chapter in acquainting you with their Religion, which though it may seem strange and extravagant, yet it is no more than the truth, as I can prove from good Authors from whence I had it. I likewise cause our Rogue to sum up his fore-passed life, with some small reflections, and I bring into his company four male, and two female Companions, as good Boys and Girls as ever twang’d. They coming from England only on a Ramble, are thought very fit Companions, and the lives of these travellers are related to our Rogue by one of the Company. This relation is full of variety, and though long, yet (I hope) will not be thought tedious nor improper: for the length I must crave pardon, for I could not well avoid it, and I was forced (though improperly enough) to make breaks to divide it into Chapters.
I have not only taken pains in describing the Laws, Manners, and Customs of the Natives with my Pen, but for your greater pleasure and satisfaction, the Graver hath been at work to present you the Figure of them, the most lively I could contrive in so narrow a compass. You have likewise another Figure of all our Lads and Lasses together in one of their Tavern Frolicks.
I have had so much work to do in bringing these Companions to our Rogue in the Indies, and relating what they are (in which I have spent much oyl and labour) that I cannot this bout, bring him over to England as is expected; but I’le allure you (if you accept this, as I question not) that I shall hereafter attend him through other Countries, and with a great Train of Attendants or Companions bring him again to his native Countrey of Ireland, and so to England, where he and his Company may do such acts as shall raise wonder in the Readers. But let this suffice at present.
And now I have almost done with the Preface, which though it be long, yet I like it better to have it so, than to fill up a Sheet or two of Paper with Commendatory Verses, which some Authors covet, and are very proud of, and rather than go without, will write themselves: This I could have done or procured, but esteeming all that can be written in that nature to be nothing, unless the reader approves the Book, who is now so wise as not to trust to another mans judgment, I therefore declined that, and I hope when the Preface is read over, it will not be thought wholly impertinent; for I have therein laid down some reasons for this my manner of writing. But some ignorant Readers commonly skip over the Preface, running greedily to the matter, and so they will use me; and having read the Book will say, that I had better have spared my self the trouble and cost, for here is nothing but what they already are acquainted with. To you who are so knowing and well experienced, I answer you with this Request, That you will do as much for publick good, as I have intended by writing this (and I hope done) and in order thereunto write and publish your Experiences, and I promise you I’le be a Customer for one of them, and encourage others to be so; and though it may not be so well as what I have written, (that is, so full of profitable Experiences) yet it will be a hard case if there be not somewhat worth the knowing: If my judgment tells me that it is better, I’le acknowledge it, and I and the other Readers shall be the more obliged to you for your pains; and I had rather gain experience and knowledge thus by reading then dealing with some of you, and be out-witted and snapt. Though it is true, that that wit is best that is bought, yet I know a man may pay too dear for it, (as hitherto I have done) and therefore, and to the end that other men may learn by my harms (as the Latine Sentence is, Felix quem faciunt aliena pericula cautum, He is happy that is warn’d by other mens harms) I have written this which I am sure may be profitable, and I hope not in the least hurtful. Wherefore Reader, I pray put on Charity for thy Spectacles, and read on.
Yours, F. K.
THE
ENGLISH ROGUE
Continued in the Life of
MERITON LATROON,
And other
EXTRAVAGANTS.
Part II.
CHAP. I.
He discourses of the manner of Government, of the Inhabitants of the East-Indies; a small Voyage by Sea, where he is in danger by a Tempest, and a Malabar Man of War, but escapes both; he makes some rambles into the Country, and returning home has some reflections on his fore passed life.
I was now arrived at the Meridian of my age, and enjoyed such a plenty of every thing, that I soon forgot the many miseries I had lately suffered, since my banishment from England. I governed my Family with a most absolute command, and received a willing obedience as well from my Wife, as all our Servants, and during the stay of our English Ships, I gained very much by entertaining my Country-men with necessaries. I kept so punctual a correspondence with the Banian Merchants, that I could command any thing; and by their means found the way of Trading, by which I considerably enriched my self; so that at the departure of the English Fleet, I having cast up an account of my Estate, found that I had gained above 2000 Rupees, (which being the Country money, and worth about 2 s. a piece, amounted to 200 l.) also I had a good parcel of Diamonds, besides those I had cheated the Banian of at my first arrival; several other Commodities I had by me, which (with my Houshold-stuff which was considerable) did in all amount to a great value. The Fleet being departed, the chief of our Trading ceased, and now it was vacation time, and I (hating idleness, and somewhat weary of my Wives company) being desirous of Novelty, set out to view the Country: to which end taking money with me, and all other necessaries, I hired an Indian Coach, which is a kind of a Chariot with two wheels, and will hold about four persons; this Coach was drawn with two Oxen, who will travel about thirty miles a day: my charge was not much, for about eighteen-pence a day paid my Coach-man, and kept his Cattel. Thus did I ramble about the Country, visiting other of my acquaintance, where I had a full enjoyment of every thing the Country afforded: for we had not only the Country drink called Toddee, which is made of the juyce of several Trees, and Punch which is made of Rack-lime, or lime-water, Sugar, Spices, and sometimes the addition of Amber-greese, but we likewise drank great quantities of Persian Wine, which is much like Claret, and brought from that Country in Bottles. These were our drinks whereof we drank plentifully, and oftentimes to excess; our meat was chiefly Rice, with Beans, and Turkeys, Beef and Mutton, and sometimes Veal and Lamb; this was my ordinary diet, but the Banians eat no flesh, accounting it criminal, it being contrary to their Religion to kill any thing; the chiefest exercise we had was playing at Nine-pins, a game I was well acquainted with in England, and therefore could well enough deal with the Natives, though they were expert therein. Though I pleased my self in these things, yet there was still wanting the only thing which had alwayes made my life pleasant to me, and that was the company of Women, for without their pleasing society in a full enjoyment I reckoned I had nothing, and therefore upon every turn found them out; but I must now be contented with the Natives, who although they are not so fair as the women of our European Countries, yet they may pass well enough, for their complexions are commonly of a tawny hiew, but they are richly adorned with Pearl and other Jewels; I speak of those who were Mercenary. There is no Town but had two or three of these Brothel-houses, which were allowed of; neither was it any disgrace to be seen