212 THE OLD BERKS HUNT 



begging in this borough will be prosecuted 

 with the utmost rigour of the law." " Oh," 

 rejoined the Sheriff; " if you could have read 

 that board, it would have directed you where 

 to get relief. However, I shall give you a 

 note to take to one who will relieve you," 

 He then wrote the following note to the Mayor 

 of Abingdon : " Mr. James Cole : The bearer 

 having solicited alms of me in the public 

 street, I deem him unworthy of any relief 

 Please to detain him in custody 'til to-morrow, 

 when at ten o'clock I shall appear against him 

 as a rogue and vagabond, that he may be 

 committed to hard labour for three months. 

 Yours, T. DuFFiELD." "Can you read this.-^" 

 enquired the Sheriff. " Yes," said the beggar ; 

 " it is to let the bearer have some bread and 

 cheese, some beer and sixpence, and pass him 

 on his journey." " You said you could not 

 read," said the gentleman ; and probably the 

 way the man had construed the note confirmed 

 his opinion of his ignorance. However, the 

 tramp was to go to the constable, and the 

 constable was to take him to the Mayor. The 

 Sheriffs horse came up, and he rode away. 

 Left in the street, the wanderer was struck 

 with a sudden impulse, and he substituted for 

 Mr. Duffield's note the following: "To Mr. 

 Cole, Mayor. The bearer of this having 



