it; an appetitus sensibilis deriving itself through the whole family
from their noble ancestors, guardians of the Golden Fleece, they
continued so extremely fond of gold, that if Peter sent them abroad,
though it were only upon a compliment, they would roar, and spit,
and belch, and snivel out fire, and keep a perpetual coil till you
flung them a bit of gold; but then pulveris exigui jactu, they would
grow calm and quiet as lambs. In short, whether by secret
connivance or encouragement from their master, or out of their own
liquorish affection to gold, or both, it is certain they were no
better than a sort of sturdy, swaggering beggars; and where they
could not prevail to get an alms, would make women miscarry and
children fall into fits; who to this very day usually call sprites
and hobgoblins by the name of bull-beggars. They grew at last so
very troublesome to the neighbourhood, that some gentlemen of the
North-West got a parcel of right English bull-dogs, and baited them
so terribly, that they felt it ever after.

I must needs mention one more of Lord Peter's projects, which was
very extraordinary, and discovered him to be master of a high reach
and profound invention. Whenever it happened that any rogue of
Newgate was condemned to be hanged, Peter would offer him a pardon
for a certain sum of money, which when the poor caitiff had made all
shifts to scrape up and send, his lordship would return a piece of
paper in this form:-


"To all mayors, sheriffs, jailors, constables, bailiffs, hangmen,
&c. Whereas we are informed that A. B. remains in the hands of you,
or any of you, under the sentence of death. We will and command
you, upon sight hereof, to let the said prisoner depart to his own