This gracious act paved the way to further
friendship, which at last found its climax in a proposal of
marriage made by the parson on behalf of his nephew, for the hand
of young Mistress Edwards. "You have a pretty gentlewoman for
your daughter," said the clergyman, "and I have a young nephew,
who has two or three hundred pounds a year in land, and is at my
disposal; if your daughter be free, and you approve of it, I will
bring him hither to see her, and we will endeavour to make a
match of it."
To this project Edwards readily consented, and invited the
clergyman and the young man to spend a day with him when they
could discourse on the subject with greater leisure and more
satisfaction. This was cordially agreed to by the parson, who,
with the bridegroom elect and two of his friends, presented
themselves on the appointed date, as early as seven of the clock
in the morning. Edwards was up betimes; but the good clergyman,
apologizing for the untimely hour of their arrival, which he
attributed to his nephew's eagerness for sight of his mistress,
declared he would not enter the keeper's apartments until Mrs.
Edwards was ready to receive them. However, in order to pass the
time, he begged his host might show the jewels to their young
friends.
With this petition Edwards complied readily enough. One of the
men, protesting he did not care to see the treasures, waited at
the door; the other three entered with the keeper, who was no
sooner inside the room than a cloak was thrown over his head, a
gag, constructed of wood with a hole in it by which he might
breathe, clapped into his mouth, and the more effectually to
prevent him making a noise, an iron ring was fastened to his
nose.
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