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had been pleased to give her, but that now it was time for her to settle the rest.
After this Discourse, she told them, that she had been studying all possible Ways how she might dispose of her Estate most to her satisfaction, and that, upon the whole, she was resolved to marry. The Tenant, a grave, and, as I said, good Man, seem'd to be greatly distasted at that kind of Proposal for settling her Estate, and the Tenant's Wife and Daughter, both began to discover their surprize at it, and a kind of nauseating the Proposal.
But hold, says she, hear what I have farther to say before you give your Opinion. My Proposal of marrying shall have no Scandal in it, I'll promise you; I shall leave no room for Reproach; and you will say so, when you hear who I have pitch'd upon for my Husband. In short, there is a little Boy in your Town whom I have chosen for a Husband, and upon whom I will settle my Estate; and he is so young, that no Body can raise any Objection against it; for, to be sure, I shall be in my Grave before he will be grown up to Man's Estate; and, giving them no time to answer, she added, this little Boy is your Son. I think, says she, you say he is not above nine or ten Years old, and I am almost seventy; and, if you give your Consent, I'll put him to School; and after that, if I should live so long, I'll put him to 'Prentice at London to a good Trade, and give One hundred Pounds with him, and, to be sure, I shall be dead before he will be out of his Time; and then, selling Part of the Estate, he will have a good Stock to set up with, and the remainder will make a good Jointure for a Wife.
The
