was sure it would do me good after coming out of the cold air) and I was forced to obey, which absolutely took away my stomach.  When dinner came in, I had a mind to sit at a distance from the fire; but they told me, it was as much as my life was worth, and set me with my back just against it.  Though my appetite was quite gone, I resolved to force down as much as I could, and desired the leg of a pullet.  “Indeed, Mr. Bickerstaff,” says the lady, “you must eat a wing to oblige me,” and so put a couple upon my plate.  I was persecuted at this rate during the whole meal.  As often as I called for small beer, the master tipped the wink, and the servant brought me a brimmer of October.  Some time after dinner, I ordered my cousin’s man who came with me to get ready the horses; but it was resolved I should not stir that night; and when I seemed pretty much bent upon going, they ordered the stable door to be locked, and the children hid away my cloak and boots.  The next question was, what I would have for supper?  I said I never eat anything at night, but was at last in my own defence obliged to name the first thing that came into my head.  After three hours spent chiefly in apology for my entertainment, insinuating to me, “That this was the worst time of the year for provisions, that they were at a great distance from any market, that they were afraid I should be starved, and they knew they kept me to my loss,” the lady went, and left me to her husband (for they took special care I should never be alone.) As soon as her back was turned, the little misses ran backwards and forwards every moment; and constantly as they came in or went out, made a curtsy directly at me, which in good manners I was forced to return with a bow, and “Your humble servant pretty Miss.”  Exactly at eight the mother came up, and discovered by the redness of her face, that supper was not far off.  It was twice as large as the dinner, and my persecution doubled in proportion.  I desired at my usual hour to go to my repose, and was conducted to my chamber by the gentleman, his lady, and the whole train of children.  They importuned me to drink something before I went to bed, and upon my refusing, at last left a bottle of stingo, as they called it, for fear I should wake and be thirsty in the night.  I was forced in the morning to rise and dress myself in the dark, because they would not suffer my kinsman’s servant to disturb me at the hour I had desired to be called.  I was now resolved to break through all measures to get away, and after sitting down to a monstrous breakfast of cold beef, mutton, neats’-tongues, venison-pasty, and stale beer, took leave of the family; but the gentleman would needs see me part of my way, and carry me a short cut through his own grounds, which he told me would save half a mile’s riding.  This last piece of civility had like to have cost me dear, being once or twice in danger of my neck, by leaping over his ditches, and at last forced to alight in the dirt, when my horse, having slipped his bridle, ran away, and took us up more than an hour to recover him again.