though unask’d, I went in, resolving, since I had found him at home, to wait his Leisure.  In a little Time Mr. Salter enter’d the Room; and after customary Ceremonies, asking my Patience a little longer, he desired I would sit down and bear Ensign Fanshaw Company (for so he call’d him) adding at going out, he had a little Business that required Dispatch; which being over, he would return, and join Company.

The Ensign, as he call’d him, appear’d to me under a Dishabilee; and the first Question he ask’d me, was, if I would drink a Glass of English Beer?  Misled by his Appearance, though I assented, it was with a Design to treat; which he would be no Means permit; but calling to a Servant, ordered some in.  We sat drinking that Liquor, which to me was a greater Rarity than all the Wine in Spain; when in dropt an old Acquaintance of mine, Mr. Le Noy, Secretary to Colonel Nevil.  He sat down with us, and before the Glass could go twice round, told Ensign Fanshaw, That his Colonel gave his humble Service to him, and ordered him to let him know, that he had but threescore Pistoles by him, which he had sent, and which were at his Service, as what he pleas’d more should be, as soon as it came to his Hands.

At this I began to look upon my Ensign as another guess Person than I had taken him for; and Le Noy imagining, by our setting cheek by joul together, that I must be in the Secret, soon after gave him the Title of Captain.  This soon convinc’d me, that there was more in the Matter than I was yet Master of; for laying Things together, I could not but argue within my self, that as it seem’d at first, a most incredible Thing, that a Person of his Appearance should have so large Credit, with such a Complement at the End of it, without some Disguise, and as from an Ensign he was risen to be a Captain, in the taking of one Bottle of English Beer; a little Patience would let me into a Farce, in which, at present, I had not the Honour to bear any Part but that of a Mute.

At last Le Noy took his leave, and as soon as he had left us, and the other Bottle was brought in, Ensign Fanshaw began to open his Heart, and tell me, who he was.  “I am necessitated,” said he, “to be under this Disguise, to conceal my self, especially in this Place.

“For you must know,” continued he, “that when our Forces were Lords of this Town, as we were for a little while, I fell under an Intrigue with another Man’s Wife; Her Husband was a Person of considerable Account; nevertheless the Wife show’d me all the Favours that a Soldier, under a long and hard Campaigne, could be imagined to ask.  In short, her Relations got acquainted with our Amour, and knowing that I was among the Prisoners taken at Breuhiga, are now upon the Scout and Enquiry, to make a Discovery that may be of fatal Consequence.  This is the Reason of my Disguise; this the unfortunate Occasion of my taking upon me a Name that does not belong to me.”