From that Time the _English_ became so famous for Puddings, that they are call'd Pudding-Eaters all over the World, to this Day.
At her Demise, her Son was taken into Favour, and made the King's chief Cook; and so great was his Fame for Puddings, that he was call'd _Jack Pudding_ all over the Kingdom, tho' in Truth, his real Name was _John Brand_, as by the Records of the Kitchen you will find: This _John Brand_, or _Jack-Pudding_, call him which you please, the _French_ have it _Jean Boudin_, for his Fame had reached _France_, whose King would have given the World to have had our _Jack_ for his Pudding-Maker. This _Jack Pudding_, I say, became yet a greater Favourite than his Mother, insomuch that he had the King's Ear as well as his Mouth at Command; for the King, you must know, was a mighty Lover of Pudding; and _Jack_ fitted him to a Hair, he knew how to make the most of a Pudding; no Pudding came amiss to him, he would make a Pudding out of a Flint-stone, comparatively speaking. It is needless to enumerate the many sorts of Pudding he made, such as Plain Pudding, Plumb Pudding, Marrow Pudding, Oatmeal Pudding, Carrot Pudding, Saucesage Pudding, Bread Pudding, Flower Pudding, Suet Pudding, and in short, every Pudding but Quaking Pudding, which was solely invented by, and took its Name from our Good Friends of the _Bull and Mouth_ before mentioned, notwithstanding the many Pretenders to that Projection.
But what rais'd our Hero most in the Esteem of this Pudding-eating Monarch, was his Second Edition of Pudding, he being the first that ever invented the Art of Broiling Puddings, which he did to such Perfection, and so much to the King's likeing, (who had a mortal Aversion to Cold Pudding,) that he thereupon instituted him Knight of the Gridiron, and gave him a Gridiron of Gold, the Ensign of that Order, which he always wore as a Mark of his Sovereign's Favour; in short, _Jack Pudding_, or Sir _John_, grew to be all in all with good King _John_; he did nothing without him, they were Finger and Glove; and, if we may believe Tradition, our very good Friend had no small Hand in the _Magna Charta_. If so, how much are all _Englishmen_ indebted to him? in what Repute ought the Order of the Gridiron to be, which was instituted to do Honour to this Wonderful Man? But alas! how soon is Merit forgot? how impudently do the Vulgar turn the most serious Things into Ridicule, and mock the most solemn Trophies of Honour? for now every Fool at a Fair, or Zany at a Mountebank's Stage, is call'd _Jack Pudding_, has a Gridiron at his Back, and a great Pair of Spectacles at his Buttocks, to ridicule the most noble Order of the Gridiron. But their Spectacles is a most ungrateful Reflection on the Memory of that great Man, whose indefatigable Application to his Business, and deep Study in that occult Science, rendred him Poreblind; to remedy which Misfortune, he had always a 'Squire follow'd him, bearing a huge Pair of Spectacles to saddle his Honour's Nose, and supply his much-lamented Defect of Sight. But whether such an Unhappiness did not deserve rather Pity than Ridicule, I leave to the Determination of all good Christians: I cannot but say, it raises my Indignation, when I see these Paunch-gutted Fellows usurping the Title and Atchievements of my dear Sir _John_, whose Memory I so much venerate, I cannot always contain my self. I remember, to my Cost, I once carry'd my Resentment a little farther than ordinary; in furiously assaulting one of those Rascals, I tore the Gridiron from his Back, and the Spectacles from his A--e; for which I was Apprehended, carried to Pye-powder Court, and by that tremendous Bench, sentenc'd to most severe Pains and Penalties.