“On Monday last week towards evening there came to the deanery one Mr. Bettesworth; who, being told by the servants that I was gone to a friend’s house,[1] went thither to inquire for me, and was admitted into the street parlour.  I left my company in the back room and went to him.  He began with asking me ’whether I were the author of certain verses wherein he was reflected on.’  The singularity of the man, in his countenance, manner, action, style, and tone of voice, made me call to mind that I had once seen him about two or three years ago at Mr. Ludlow’s country-house.  But I could not recollect his name; and of what calling he might be I had never heard.  I therefore desired to know who and what he was; said ’I had heard of some such verses, but knew no more.’  He then signified to me ’that he was a serjeant-at-law and a member of parliament.’  After which he repeated the lines that concerned him with great emphasis; said ’I was mistaken in one thing, for he assured me he was no booby, but owned himself to be a coxcomb.’  However, that being a point of controversy wherein I had no concern, I let it drop.  As to the verses, he insisted, ’that by his taste and skill in poetry he was as sure I wrote them as if he had seen them fall from my pen.’  But I found the chief weight of his argument lay upon two words that rhymed to his name, which he knew could come from none but me.  He then told me ’that, since I would not own the verses, and that since he could not get satisfaction by any course of law, he would get it by his pen, and show the world what a man I was.’  When he began to grow over-warm and eloquent I called in the gentleman of the house from the room adjoining; and the serjeant, going on with less turbulence, went away.  He had a footman in the hall during all his talk, who was to have opened the door for one or more fellows, as he has since reported; and likewise that he had a sharp knife in his pocket, ready to stab or maim me.  But the master and mistress of the house, who knew his character and could hear every word from the room they were in, had prepared a sufficient defence in such a case, as they afterward told me.  He has since related to five hundred persons of all ranks about five hundred falsehoods of this conversation, of my fears and his own brutalities, against all probability as well as fact; and some of them, as I have been assured, even in the presence of your grace.  His meanings and his movements were indeed peevish enough, but his words were not.  He threatened me with nothing but his pen, yet owned he had no pretence to wit.  And indeed I am heartily glad for his own sake that he proceeded no farther, for the least uproar would have called his nearest neighbours first to my assistance, and next to the manifest danger of his life; and I would not willingly have even a dog killed upon my account.  Ever since he has amused himself with declaring in all companies, especially before bishops and lords and members of parliament, his resolutions for vengeance and the several manners by which he will put it in execution.