A Maggot - John Fowles by John Fowles

Author:John Fowles
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Published: 2011-05-22T21:08:31+00:00

The 11th Sept. Lincoln's Inn.

Your Grace,

My most humble concern for Yr Grace would, were I not also his servant, with duty above all else to bow to his gracious commands, beseech me to forbear the dispatch of this that is inclosed. Would that I might find some allay to it, yet cannot beyond that ancient saw of my calling, Testis unus, testis nullus. The more might it be applied to this present, that the one witness is known liar and transparent rogue, and here does report of another we may fear to be a greater liar still. Yet must I in truth to Yr Grace state that though in all Jones doth most plainly merit the rope, I believe him no liar in the substance of our matter. Our hope and prayer must lie therefore in that the wench did cunningly deceive him.

All is on foot to discover her, and God willing we shall. Then shall she have such a riding as Yr Grace may guess. The rogue Jones describes himself in all he says, Yr Grace may picture his kind, that matches all that is worst, which is much, in his wretched nation. He is man of clouts. I will venture one hundred pound to a peppercorn he hath been no nearer Mars or my lady Bellona than John o' Groats is to Rome, nay, further still. He is far more a frighted eel, that would slip from any pot, once caught.

This also I beg to submit to Yr Grace, that knows his Lordship and that all in which he standeth blameable. There is alas no doubt that he is guilty of the most heinous of familial sins, in his conduct towards Yr Grace's wishes; yet always with this in his favour, as Yr Grace himself once in happier days remarked, that he hath seemed unsullied by those nowaday too frequent vices of his age and station; that is, by none so foul and dark as is now proposed. Yr Grace, I may believe gentlemen exist that would sink to such depravity; but not a one bearing the honour to be Yr

Grace's son. Nor will my reason believe, as I doubt not Yr Grace's likewise, that such witches as these have been, these last hundred years. In short, I must exhort Yr Grace to patience. I pray he win' not credit that such alleged infamy as here I send report of to hire is yet determined truth.

Yr Grace's most saddened, and ever his most obedient

Henry Ayscough

* * *

Bristol, by Froomgate.

Wednesday, the 15th of September, 1736

Sir,

I have received the honour of your letter and return your kind compliments an hundredfold, to which I trust I may add that your most noble client may be assured that I am ever his to command in anything that concerns him. I count myself no less fortunate to have been able to assist a gentleman of your eminence in our profession in the business of last year; as to which I may mention that

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