120 
Clerical Horse Dealer. 
A complaint, which has caused a great deal of conversation 
in Bath, was made a few days ago by a French gentleman, named 
Lafu, against a clergyman who resides in the neighbourhood of 
that,city, and who is remarkable for dealing very profitably in 
horses. The magistrate applied to on the occasion recommended 
that the case should be stated in a court of law, after having the 
following account from the lips of the Frenchman :— 
Frenchman, —I go to buy a horse from him, and he ask me forty 
guinea. I say. No, by Gar; I no give that. Well, say the cler¬ 
gyman, I will tell you what: you shall have him for thirty-five 
guinea ; but, d—n my eyes, you have him for no less. 
Magistrate. —You could not think of dealing with a clergy¬ 
man who was so ready to swear? 
Frenchman. —Oui, 1 did: I thought a clergyman would not 
swear to any thing but true; s6 I paid him the money. Well, 
I got upon him, and he go beautiful: then I put him up in the 
Bell stables, and I ride him next day, and he go upon three legs. 
I put him up again, but he still go upon three legs, and then I 
give him a doctor ; but, by Gar, he walk upon his knee; and so 
I say. By Gar, if you do walk upon your knees, I do not walk 
upon your back. 
Magistrate. —You mean the horse was unsound? 
Frenchman. —Oui! he had got the gout. 
Ma gistrate. —The gout! horses don't get the gout. 
Frenchman. —But he was a clergyman's horse, and they both 
have the gout. The horse’s leg was swell, and so was the master’s. 
Magistrate. —Well; I suppose you sent back the horse ? 
Frenchman. —No, the clergyman said, D —n his eye, he’d 
no have him: but I asked Mr. Bell to buy him for thirty-five 
guineas; but he said, No, I would not give more than £5: so 
I keep him in the stable twelve weeks, and then I send him 
to be sold; and what do you think I got ? 
Magistrate. —Why, perhaps £5. 
Frenchman. —No, by Gar; I got £15. 
Magistrate. —Well, then, I think you received more than you 
had a right to expect in your transaction with this worthy cler¬ 
gyman. 
Frenchman. —Receive! why I receive nothing. I got £15 
to pay for the dinner. 
Magistrate. —For the dinner ? 
O , 
Frenchman .—Oui, for my horse’s dinner for twelve week, at 
Mr. Bell’s stables. 
The unfortunate Frenchman thus lost, by dealing with the 
reverend horse-jockey, no less than £50. 
Farmer’s Journal, April 28, 1823. 
