ther forbid you to embrace your child? What have I ever done to deferve his hatred?-Nothing, my dear boy; you were always good and meek hearted, and deferved the love of every body.It is not common (faid Edmund) for a parent to hate his first-born fon, without his having deferved it. That is true, (faid Ofwald) it is uncommon, it is unnatural; nay, I am of opinion it is almoft impoffible. I am fo convinced of this truth, that I believe the man who thus hates and abufes Edmund cannot be his father.

In faying this, he obferved her countenance attentively she changed colour apparently.Come, (faid he) let us fit down; and do you, Margery, anfwer to what I have faid.-Bleffed Virgin, (faid Margery) what does your Reverence mean? What do you fufpect?-I fufpect (said he) that Edmund is not the fon of Andrew, your hufband.-Lord blefs me, (faid fhe) what is it you do fufpect?-Do not evade my question, woman; I am come here by authority to examine you upon this point.

The woman trembled every joint.—Would to Heaven (faid the) that Andrew was at home!—It is much better as it is, (faid Ofwald) you are the perfon we are to examine.-Oh! Father, (faid

The)

he) do you think that I-that I--that I am to blame in this matter? What have I done?-do you, Sir, (faid he) afk your own questions.

Upon this Edmund threw himself at her feet, and embraced her knees.-Oh! my mother (faid he) for as fuch my heart owns you, tell me, for the love of Heaven, tell me who was my father! -Gracious Heaven, (faid fhe) what will become of me-Woman, (faid Ofwald) confefs the truth, or you shall be compelled to do it: by whom had you this youth ?-Who, I! (faid fhe) I had him! No, Father, I am not guilty of the black crime adultery: God knows my innocence; I am not worthy to be the mother of fuch a sweet youth as that is.-You are not his mother then, nor Andrew his father?-Oh! what shall I do? (faid Margery) Andrew will be the death of me! -No, he fhall not, (faid Edmund) you shall be protected and rewarded for the difcovery.Goody, (faid Ofwald) confefs the whole truth, and I will protect you from harm, and from blame: you may be the means of making Edmund's fortune, in which cafe he will certainly provide for you; on the other hand, by an obftinate filence, you will deprive yourself of all the advantages you might receive from the difcovery; and befides, you will foon be examined in a different

manner,

manner, and be obliged to confefs all you know, and nobody will thank you for it.-Ah! (said she) but Andrew beat me the last time I spoke to Edmund, and told me he would break every bone in my fkin, if I ever fpoke to him again.-He knows it then, (faid Ofwald)-He know it! Lord help you, it was all his own doing.-Tell us then, (faid Ofwald) for Andrew fhall never know it, 'till it is out of his power to punish you. -It is a long ftory (said she) and cannot be told in a few words.-It will never be told at this rate, (faid he) fit down, and begin it inftantly -My fate depends upon your words, (faid Edmund),my foul is impatient of the fufpence! If ever you loved me, and cherished me, fhew it now, and tell me while I have breath to afk it.

He fat in extreme agitation of mind; his words and actions were equally expreffive of his inward emotions. I will, (faid fhe) but I must try to recollect all the circumstances. You must know, young man, that you are just one-and-twenty years. of age. On what day was he born? (faid Ofwald).—The day before yesterday, (said she) the 21ft of September.-A remarkable æra, (said he) -Tis fo, indeed, (faid Edmund) Oh, that night! That apartment-Be filent, (faid Ofwald) and do you, Margery, begin your ftory.

I will,

I will, (faid fhe)-Juft one-and-twenty years ago, on that very day I loft my first-born fon, I got a hurt by over-reaching myself when I was near my time, and fo the poor child died; and fo, as I was fitting all alone, and very melancholy, Andrew came home from work.-See, Margery, (faid he) I have brought you a child instead of that you have loft: fo he gave me a bundle, as I thought; but fure enough it was a child, a poor helpless babe, just born, and only rolled up in a fine handkerchief, and over that a rich velvet cloak, trimmed with gold lace.-And where did you find this? (faid I).-Upon the foot bridge, (fays he) just below the clay field. This child (continues he) belongs to fome great folk, and perhaps it may be enquired after one day, and may make our fortunes. Take care of it, (faid he) and bring it up as if it was our own.-The poor infant was cold, and it cried, and looked up at me fo pitifully, that I loved it: befides, my milk was troublefome to me, and I was glad to be eased of it; fo I gave it the breast, and from that hour I loved the child as if it had been my own, and fo I do ftill, if I dared to own it.-And is this all you know of Edmund's birth? (faid Ofwald). No, not all, (faid Margery) but pray look out and fee whether Andrew is coming, for I am all over in a twitter. He is not, (faid Ofwald)

go on, I beseech you.-This happened, (said she} as I told you, on the 21ft. On the morrow my Andrew went out early to work, along with one Robin Rouse, our neighbour. They had not been gone above an hour, when they both came back, seemingly very much frightened. Says Andrew, go you, Robin, and borrow a pick-axe at neighbour Style's. What is the matter now? (faid I). -Matter enough! (quoth Andrew) we may come to be hanged, perhaps, as many an innocent man has before us.-Tell me what is the matter, (faid I).—I will, (faid he) but if ever you open your mouth about it, woe be to you.I never will, (faid I) but he made me fwear by all the bleffed Saints in the Calendar: and then he told me, that as Robin and he were going over the foot bridge, where he found the child the evening before, they faw fomething floating upon the water; fo they followed it, 'till it ftuck against a ftake, and found it to be the dead body of a woman. As fure as you are alive, Madge, (faid he) this was the mother of the child I brought home.

Merciful God! (faid Edmund) am I the child of that hapless mother!-Be compofed, (faid Ofwald). Proceed, good woman, the time is precious. And fo, (faid fhe) Andrew told me they

dragged