Le. Now ’tis Time that our Story-telling should pass, as they say, from better to worse, from Kings to Anthony, a Priest of Louvain, who was much in Favour with Philip surnamed the Good:  there are a great many Things told of this Man, both merrily said, and wittily done, but most of them are something slovenly.  For he used to season many of his Jokes with a Sort of Perfume that has not a handsome Sound, but a worse Scent.  I’ll pick out one of the cleanest of ’em.  He had given an Invitation to one or two merry Fellows that he had met with by Chance as he went along; and when he comes Home, he finds a cold Kitchen; nor had he any Money in his Pocket, which was no new Thing with him; here was but little Time for Consultation.  Away he goes, and says nothing, but going into the Kitchen of a certain Usurer (that was an intimate Acquaintance, by Reason of frequent Dealings with him) when the Maid was gone out of the Way, he makes off with one of the Brass Pots, with the Meat ready boiled, under his Coat, carries it Home, gives it his Cook-Maid, and bids her pour out the Meat and Broth into another Earthen Pot, and rub the Usurer’s Brass one till it was bright.  Having done this, he sends his Boy to the Pawn-Broker to borrow two Groats upon it, but charges him to take a Note, that should be a Testimonial, that such a Pot had been sent him.  The Pawn-Broker not knowing the Pot being scour’d so bright, takes the Pawn, gives him a Note, and lays him down the Money, and with that Money the Boy buys Wine, and so he provided an Entertainment for him.  By and by, when the Pawn-Broker’s Dinner was going to be taken up, the Pot was missing.  He scolds at the Cook-Maid; she being put hardly to it, affirmed no Body had been in the Kitchen all that Day but Anthony.  It seem’d an ill Thing to suspect a Priest.  But however at last they went to him, search’d the House for the Pot, but no Pot was found.  But in short, they charg’d him Home with the Pot, because he was the only Person who had been in the Kitchen till the Pot was missing.  He confess’d that he had borrow’d a Pot, but that he had sent it Home again to him from whom he had it.  But they denying it stiffly, and high Words arising, Anthony calling some Witnesses, Look you, quoth he, how dangerous a Thing it is to have to do with Men now-a-Days, without a Note under their Hands:  I should have been in Danger of being indicted for Felony, if I had not had the Pawn-Broker’s own Hand to shew.  And with that he produces the Note of his Hand.  They perceiv’d the Trick, and it made good Sport all the Country over, that the Pawn-Broker had lent Money upon his own Porridge-Pot.  Men are commonly very well pleas’d with such Tricks, when they are put upon such as they have no good Opinion of, especially such as use to impose upon other Persons.