L'Estrange: Two Men and a Halter.

A Poor Rogue that had got the Devil into his Pocket, and not one Cross in the World to drive him out again, found upon Mature Consideration, that he had no Choice before him, but either to Hang or Starve; for, says he, I have neither Cash, Credit, nor Friends, to keep Life and Soul together. He bethought himself a while upon the Matter, and so Resolv'd rather of the Two to go to Heaven in a String. Upon this, he immediately provides himself a Halter; fits the Noose, and pitches upon the Place of Execution; but as he was driving a Hook into an Old Wall to Fasten the Cord to, Down comes a Great Stone that was Loose, and a Pot of Mony along with it. The Fellow presently throws away the Halter; Takes the Gold by Content, without either Weighing or Counting it, and so away he Scouts with the Purchace. He was no sooner gone, but in comes the Man that had hid the Mony, to give his Pot a Visit: He finds the birds flown it seems, and Marrying and Hanging, they say, go by Destiny. The last Comer, in fine, succeeds to the Rope of his Precedessor, and very fairly Hangs himself, with this Comfort in the Conclusion, That Providence had Sav'd him the Charge of a Halter.

Where there's Mony in the Case, 'tis Forty to One but some Body or other goes to the Devil for't.

Source: L'Estrange 477.

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