THE HISTORY
WHITTINGTON
HIS CAT.
Price One Pcrmy.
"Away flew the factor, while ano-
tner dinner was providing, and re-
turned with the cat just as the rats
and mice were devouring that also.
He immediately put down Mrs. Puss,
who killed a great part of them, and
the rest ran away."
See Page 19.
THE HISTORY
OF
WHITTINGTON
AND
HIS CAT.
DERBY:
Printed and Published by
THOMAS RICHARDSON, FRIAR-GATE.
i CHILDREN'S BOOK.
COLLECTION
I * I
t LIBRARY OF THE ^
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA j|
LOS ANGELES |[
THE HISTORY OF
WHITTINGTON
AND HIS CAT.
DICK Whittington was so
young" when his parents died,
that he neither knew them
nor where he was born. He
strolled about the country as
ragged as a colt, till he met a
wagoner who was going to
London, and he gave him
leave to walk all the way by
the side of his wagon, with-
out paying any thing for his
passage, which obliged little
Whittington very much, as
he wanted to see London sad-
ly ; for he had heard that the
streets were paved with gold.
WHITTINGTON
But how great was his disap-
pointment, poor boy, when he
saw the streets covered with
dirt instead of gold, and found
himself in a strange place with-
out money, without friends,
and without food!
The wagoner took no far-
ther notice of him when they
AND HIS CAT. 7
reached town ; and the little
boy being both cold and hun-
gry, asked charity of several
people, one of whom bade
him go to work for an idle
rogue.
"That I will," says Whit-
ting ton, " with all my heart :
I will work for you if you
will let me." The man, who
thought this savoured of wit
and impertinence, gave him
a blow with a stick, which
broke his head, so that the
blood ran down. In this sit-
uation, and fainting for want
of food, he lay down at the
door of one Mr. Fitz warren, ,
a merchant, where the cook
8
WHITTINGTOTN
saw him, and being an ill-na-
tured hussy, ordered him to
o about his business, or she
would scald him. At this
time Mr. Fitzwarren came
from the Exchange, and also
began to scold at the poor
boy, bidding him go to work.
AND HIS CAT. 9
Whittington answered, that
he should be very glad to
work if any body would em-
ploy him ; and that he should
be able, if he could get some
victuals to eat; that he had
got none for three days; and
he was a poor country boy,
that knew nobody, and nobo-
dy would employ him. He
then endeavoured to get up,
but being so very weak, he
fell down again, which exci-
ted so much compassion in
the merchant, that he ordered
the servants to take him in,
and give him some meat and
drink, and let him help the
cook to do any dirty work.
10
WH1TTINGTON
Whittington would have
lived happily, had he not been
bumped about by the cross
cook, who must always be
roasting or basting", and when
the spit was still, she employ-
ed her hands upon poor Whit-
tington ; but Miss Alice, his
master's daughter, beinof in-
~ ' ;3
AND HIS CAT. 11
formed of it, took compassion
on the poor boy, and made
the servants treat him kindly.
Besides the cross cook
Whittington had another
difficulty to get over; for he
had a flock-bed placed for him
in a garret, where numbers of
rats and mice ran over the
poor boy's face, and disturbed
him in his sleep.
A gentleman, who came to
his master's house, gave Whit-
tington a penny for brushing
his shoes, which he determin-
ed to lay out to the best ad-
vantage.
The next day seeing a
woman in the street with a
12 WHITTINGTON
cat under her arm, he ran up,
and prevailed on her to let
him have it for a penny.
Soon after this the mer-
chant, who had a ship ready
to sail, called for his servants,
in order that each of them
might venture something 1 to
try their luck; and whatever
AND HIS CAT. 13
they sent was to pay neither
freight nor custom.
All the servants appeared
but poor Whittington, who
having- neither money noi
goods, could not think of
sending any thing to try his
luck; but his good friend
Miss Alice, thinking his pov-
erty kept him away, ordered
him to be called. Whitting-
ton brought poor puss, and
delivered her to the captain
with tears in his eyes.
While puss was beating
the billows at sea, poor
Whittington was severely
beaten at home by his tyran-
nical mistress the cook, who
14 ^VHITTINGTOX
used him so cruelly, and
made such game of him for
sending 1 his cat to sea, that at
last the poor boy determined
to run away from the place.
He travelled as far as Hollo-
way, and there sat down up-
on a stone, now called Whit-
tingtons Stone : but while he
AND HIS CAT. 16
was thus ruminating*, Bow
bells, of which there were
then only six, began to ring",
and, as he thought, addressed
him in this manner:
" Turn again, Whittington,
Lrod Mayor of great London."
" Lord Mayor of London !'"
said he to himself; "what
would not one endure to be
Lord Mayor of London, and
ride in such a fine coach !
Well, I'll go back again, and
bear all the hard usage of
Cicely, rather than miss the
opportunity of being Lord
Mayor." So home he went
again.
The ship with the cat on
16 WHITTINGTON
board was long- beaten about
at sea, and at last, by contrary
winds, driven on a part of the
coast of Barbary, which was
inhabited by Moors unknown
to the English. These peo-
ple received our countrymen
with civility; therefore, the
captain showed them patterns
of the g*oods he had, and sent
some of them to the king of
the country, who was so pleas-
ed, that he sent for the captain
and factor to his palace. Here
they were placed, according to
the custom of the country, on
rich carpets flowered with
gold and silver; and the
king and queen sat at the
AND HIS CAT. 17
upper end of the room. Din-
ner was brought ; but an ama-
zing- number of rats and
mice came from all quarters,
and devoured all the meat in
an instant. The factor, in
surprise, turned round to the
nobles, and asked if these ver-
mine were not offensive. " O
yes," said they, "very offen-
sive, and the king would
give half his treasure to be
free of them; for they not
only destroy his dinner as you
see, but assault him in his
chamber, and even in his bed,
so that he is obliged to be
watched while sleeping for
fear of them."
18 & WHITTINGTON
The factor jumped for joy,
and he remembered poor
Whittmgton and his cat; and
told the king, he had a crea-
ture on board the ship, that
would dispatch all these ver-
min immediately. " Bring*
this creature to me," says he :
" vermin are dreadful in a
court; and if she will perform
what you say, I will load your
ship with jewels in exchange
for her." The factor, who
knew his business, took this
opportunity to set forth the
merits of Mrs. Puss. He told
his majesty, that it might be
inconvenient for him to part
with her, as when she wag
AND HIS CAT. 19
gone, the rats and mice might
destroy the goods in the ship;
hut that to ohlige his majesty
he would fetch her. Away
flew the factor, while another
dinner was providing, and re-
turned with the cat just as the
rats and mice were devouring
that also. He immediately
put down Mrs. Puss, who
killed a great part of them,
and the rest ran away. The
king rejoiced greatly, to see
his old enemies destroyed hy
so small a creature; and the
queen \vas highly pleased,
and desired that the cat
might be hrought near, that
she might look at her. Upon
20 WH1TTINGTON
which the factor called, "Pus-
sey, pussey, pussey!" and she
came to him : he then present-
ed her to the queen, who
started back, and was afraid
to touch a creature who made
such havock among* the rats
and mice; however, when the
factor stroked the cat, and
cried, "Pussey, pussey !" the
queen also touched her, and
cried, "Puttey, puttey, put-
tey !" for she had not learned
English. He then put her
in the queen's lap, when she,
purring-, played with her maj-
esty's hand, and then sung
herself to sleep.
The king having seen the
AND HIS CAT. 21
exploits of Mrs. Puss, and
being informed, that she was
with young, and would stock
the whole country, bargained
with the captain and factor
for the whole ship's cargo,
and then gave them ten times
as much for the cat as all the
rest amounted to. With
which, after taking leave of
their majesties, they sailed
with a fair wind for England,
where w r e will now attend
them.
When Mr. Fitzwarren stole
from bed, to count over the
cash, and settle the business
of the day, he had just enter-
ed the counting-house, and
22 WHITTINGTON
seated himself, when some-
body came tap, tap, at the
door. "Who is there?"
says Mr. Fitz warren. " A
friend," answered the other.
" What friend can come at
this unseasonable time?" says
Mr. Fitzwarren. "A real
friend is never unseasonable,"
answered the other: " I come
to bring 1 you news of the good
ship Unicorn." The merchant
bustled up in such a hurry,
that he forgot his gout, and
instantly opened the door; and
who should be seen waiting
but the captain and factor,
with a cabinet of jeweh, and
a bill of lading; for which
AND HIS CAT. 23
the merchant lifted up his
eyes, and thanked heaven for
sending* him such a prosper-
ous voyage. They then told
him the adventures of the cat,
and showed him the cabinet
of jewels, which they had
brought for Mr. Whittington.
Mr. Fitzwarren ordered
Mr. Whittington in, who was
at that time cleaning- the
kitchen, and would have ex-
cused himself from going into
the parlour. The merchant,
taking him by the hand, said,
" Indeed, Mr. Whittington,
1 am in earnest with you, and
sent for you, to congratulate
you on your success. Your
WHITTINCTON
cat has produced you more
money than I am worth in
the world, and may you long
enjoy it and be happy."
Mr. Whittington laid all
his treasure at his master's
feet, who refused to take any
part of it, but told him he
heartily rejoiced at his pros-
AND HIS CAT.
25
perity. He then applied to
his mistress, and to his good
friend Miss Alice, who like-
wise refused to take any
money, but wished him suc-
cess with it.
Mr. Fitz .Varren observing 1
a good liking between Mr.
Whittington and his daughter,
26 WH1TTIXGTON
proposed a match between
them, to which both parties
cheerfully consented ; and the
Lord Mayor in his coach,
court of aldermen, sheriffs,
the company of stationers, and
a number of eminent mer-
chants, attended the cerimo-
ny, and were elegantly treated
at an entertainment made for
that purpose.
History tells us, that they
lived happy, and had several
children; that he was sheriff
of London in the year 13 JO
and then Lord Mayor; that
in the last year of his m ay-
oral ity he entertained King
Henry V. and his queen, at-
AND HIS C VT 27
ter his conquest ot France;
upon which oc( asion the
king", in consid oration of
Whittington's ineiit, said,
"Never had Prince sucl a subject,"
which being* told Whitting-
ton at tahle, he repli ?d,
" Never had subject such a King."
He constantly fed great
numbers of % the poor. He
built a church and a college to
it, with a yearly allowance for
poor scholars ; and near it
erected an hospital. He built
Newgate for criminals, and
gave liberally to St. Bartholo-
mew's Hospital, and other
public chanties.
; HOOKS
. .1 and Publish..-
THOMAS RICHARDSON, IK
in the Wood.
a Hi-it Book.
. unowit
r, Firpyitlp Am-
r's Reward.
. Cat.
