MEMOIR OF THOMAS BEWICK. 55 



attracted my attention was " King Jamie's Well." 

 There I fell in with bad company, consisting of 

 three low blackguard 'prentice lads, from the Close. 

 Having no wish to have anything to say to them, 

 I endeavoured to shun their company ; but they, 

 seeing me in a strange and perhaps somewhat 

 clownish dress, followed and insulted me ; and this 

 they persisted in till I could bear it no longer, 

 when, turning upon one of the sauciest of them, 

 I presently levelled him, and was about serving 

 the second in the same way, when they all three 

 fell upon me and showed no mercy, so that, in the 

 end, I went home to my master's house with a 

 scratched face and black eyes. This was an 

 abominable sight to the family, which no excuse 

 could palliate. After this, I was obliged to attend 

 my master to church twice a day, every Sunday, 

 and, at night, to read the Bible, or some other 

 good book, to old Mrs. Beilby and her daughter, 

 or others of the family ; and this continued during 

 the time of the term I boarded in the house with 

 them. 



The father of Mr. Beilby followed the business 

 of a goldsmith and jeweller in Durham, where he 

 was greatly respected. He had taken care to give 

 all his family a good education. His eldest son, 

 Richard, had served his apprenticeship to a die- 

 sinker, or seal engraver, in Birmingham. His 

 second son, William, had learned enamelling and 

 painting in the same place. The former of these 

 had taught my master seal-cutting, and the latter 

 taught his brother Thomas and sister Mary enam- 

 elling and painting; and, in this way, this most 

 industrious and respectable family lived together 

 and maintained themselves. But, prior to this 



