of the woman he should marry.  Hodges carries him into a field not far from his house, pulls out his crystal, bids Scott set his foot to his, and, after a while, wishes him to inspect the crystal, and observe what he saw there.  ‘I see,’ saith Scott, ’a ruddy complexioned wench in a red waistcoat, drawing a can of beer.’  ‘She must be your wife,’ said Hodges.  ‘You are mistaken, Sir,’ said Scott.  ’I am, so soon as I come to London, to marry a tall gentlewoman in the Old Bailey.’  ‘You must marry the red waistcoat,’ said Hodges.  Scott leaves the country, comes up to London, finds his gentlewoman married:  two years after going into Dover, in his return, he refreshed himself at an inn in Canterbury, and as he came into the hall, or first room thereof, he mistook the room, and went into the buttery, where he espied a maid, described by Hodges, as before said, drawing a can of beer, &c.  He then more narrowly viewing her person and habit, found her, in all parts, to be the same Hodges had described; after which he became a suitor unto her, and was married unto her; which woman I have often seen.  This Scott related unto me several times, being a very honest person, and made great conscience of what he spoke.  Another story of him is as followeth, which I had related from a person which well knew the truth of it.

A neighbour gentleman of Hodges lost his horse; who having Hodges’s advice for recovery of him, did again obtain him.  Some years after, in a frolick, he thought to abuse him, acquainting a neighbour therewith, viz., that he had formerly lost a horse, went to Hodges, recovered him again, but saith it was by chance; I might have had him without going unto him:  ’Come, let’s go, I will now put a trick upon him; I will leave some boy or other at the town’s-end with my horse, and then go to Hodges and enquire for him.’  He did so, gave his horse to a youth, with orders to walk him till he returned.  Away he goes with his friend, salutes Mr. Hodges, thanks him for his former courtesy, and now desires the like, having lost a horse very lately.  Hodges, after some time of pausing, said; ‘Sir, your horse is lost, and never to be recovered.’  ’I thought what skill you had,’ replies the gallant, ’my horse is walking in a lane at the town’s-end.’  With that Hodges swore (as he was too much given unto that vice) ‘your horse is gone, and you will never have him again.’  The gentleman departed in great derision of Hodges, and went where he left his horse:  when he came there, he found the boy fast asleep upon the ground, the horse gone, the boy’s arm in the bridle.

He returns again to Hodges, desiring his aid, being sorry for his former abuse.  Old Will swore like a devil, ’be gone, be gone; go look for your horse.’  This business ended not so; for the malicious man brought Hodges into the star-chamber, bound him over to the assizes, put Hodges to great expences:  but, by means of the Lord Dudley, if I remember aright, or some other person thereabouts, he overcame the gentleman, and was acquitted.