Aul. This was fighting a Man with his own Weapons.

Ph. In short, he would not let me go away, before I had set a Price upon him.  I rated him at a great Deal more than he cost me.  Being gone, I got an Acquaintance to act for me, and gave him Instructions how to behave himself:  He goes to the House, and calls for the Horse-Courser, telling him, that he had Occasion for a very good, and a very hardy Nag.  The Horse-Courser shews him a great many Horses, still commending the worst most of all; but says not a Word of that Horse he had sold me, verily believing he was such as I had represented him.  My Friend presently ask’d whether that was not to be sold; for I had given him a Description of the Horse, and the Place where he stood.  The Horse-Courser at first made no Answer, but commended the rest very highly.  The Gentleman lik’d the other Horses pretty well; but always treated about that very Horse:  At last thinks the Horse-Courser with himself, I have certainly been out in my Judgment as to this Horse, if this Stranger could presently pick this Horse out of so many.  He insisting upon it, He may be sold, says he; but it may be, you’ll be frighted at the Price.  The Price, says he, is a Case of no great Importance, if the Goodness of the Thing be answerable:  Tell me the Price.  He told him something more than I had set him at to him, getting the Overplus to himself.  At last the Price was agreed on, and a good large Earnest was given, a Ducat of Gold to bind the Bargain.  The Purchaser gives the Hostler a Groat, orders him to give his Horse some Corn, and he would come by and by, and fetch him.  As soon as ever I heard the Bargain was made so firmly, that it could not be undone again, I go immediately, booted and spurr’d to the Horse-Courser, and being out of Breath, calls for my Horse.  He comes and asks what I wanted:  Says I, get my Horse ready presently, for I must be gone this Moment, upon an extraordinary Affair:  But, says he, you bid me keep the Horse a few Days:  That’s true, said I, but this Business has happened unexpectedly, and it is the King’s Business, and it will admit of no Delay.  Says he, take your Choice, which you will of all my Horses; you cannot have your own.  I ask’d him, why so?  Because, says he, he is sold.  Then I pretended to be in a great Passion; God forbid, says I; as this Journey has happen’d, I would not sell him, if any Man would offer me four Times his Price.  I fell to wrangling, and cry out, I am ruin’d:  At Length he grew a little warm too:  What Occasion is there for all this Contention:  You set a Price upon your Horse, and I have sold him; if I pay you your Money, you have nothing more to do to me; we have Laws in this City, and you can’t compel me to produce the Horse.  When I had clamoured a good While, that he would either produce the Horse, or the Man that bought him:  He at last pays me down the Money in a Passion.  I had bought him for fifteen Guineas, I set him to him at twenty six, and he had valued