_He breaketh his Master (by the help of his Mistress) and so
sets up for himself with that money he had unlawfully
gotten in his Apprenticeship, and credit besides: what a
trick he served his Master at last: his Master and
Mistress soon after dy’d._
But to proceed, now I had served my time, and was accordingly made free;
but sollicited by my Master to stay some longer time as a Journeyman,
which I consented to, knowing it could not be long: for we had so
purloined from him, that it was impossible for him to subsist any
longer. His Creditors visited him daily, so that now his whole time was
taken up in studying fair promising words to satisfie them for the
present, and tell them when they _should come again_. My Master
perceiving the danger he was in, would neither stir abroad, no, not so
much as come into the Shop. He now standing upon the brow of a very high
Hill, and being forced to descend, I resolved to save him the labour,
and so threw him down headlong.
By this time I had conveyed away a sufficient quantity of his Goods,
intending them for my own use; and stowed them in a Warehouse which I
had lately taken privately for my purpose. My Master one night told me
his intended design, that he was resolv’d to pack up all his Goods, and
to gather in what moneys he could, and so take his wife with him for
_Ireland_. I thought I should have dy’d at first when I heard him talk
of carrying his wife with him, and could not forbear dropping some
tears; which he perceiving, his trickled down his Cheeks to bear mine
company. Well now, said he, I see thou lovest me too, as well as thou
hast hitherto proved faithful. But the dearest friends must part (& with
that he wept again like a child) however my comfort is, I hope we shall
see each other in Heaven. I thought with my self, I had rather see him
in the Counter. And from that minute I contriv’d how I might effect it:
For at that time I should never have been able to have brookt a
separation between my Mistress and self, especially at so great
distance. She and I often consulted what to do; Sometimes we were in the
mind to take what money the _old fool_ had, and so run away together,
with many stratagems which we propounded; but were rejected as no ways
expedient nor convenient. At last I resolved on this, that she should
acquaint her self of the exact time and way he intended to go, and so
inform me thereof. I receiv’d information in a short time after, that
before break of day, at such a time he would take Horse at _Islington_,
and so for _Winchester_. I immediately sent away word to one of his
chiefest Creditors, making known to him the sum and substance of every
thing, and, that if ever he expected to receive what was due to him, he
must at such a time have Officers ready to way-lay him, in order to his
arrest, which was punctually done according to what instructions I sent
him in a letter, without a name subscribed thereunto. He had not been
long in custody, before I was sent for, to advise with him what was best
to be done in this his great extremity and perplexity. I could do no
less than seemingly condole his misfortunes, and withal seemed to be
very active as to his assistance, running up and down to his Creditors
to bring them to a compliance; but he had been better to have sent some
person else as sollicitor in his businesse, for by my means I made his
wound incurable. Seeing there was no remedy but patiently to endure his
inevitable imprisonment, he got an Horse (as some men term it) _alias_ a
_Duce facies_, and so remov’d himself to _Ludgate_, where he had not
been long e’re he dy’d for grief.
In the mean time my Mistress had secured what he had, which I enjoy’d. I
had now an House and Shop of mine own, very well furnisht; but withal I
was grown so deboist and profusively lavish, that I seldom was at home
but at night, and then in bed with my Mistress, who was very importunate
with me to marry her: I confesse I loved her intirely as my Mistresse,
or Whore, but I hated her as my Wife, knowing very well that if she
would be an Whore to me, and have an Husband, she would be so to another
when I was in the formers place. She now found her self with Child;
whereupon (taking _upon her my duty_) she daily prest me to save her
Credit. But I delay’d, putting her off continually with specious
pretences, which her love and facileness easily swallow’d. The time of
her delivery approaching, I went down into the Country with her; and
because it was at hand, I stay’d to see the event: Within a short while
she fell in labour (now because we were known for no other than Man and
Wife,) when her throws came upon her, she would not let me stir out of
the room. Her pain growing intollerable, she called me hastily to her,
and getting my hand within hers; Farewel, said she, I dye for thee; thy
last unkindnesse in not performing thy promise, and not returning love
answerable to mine, hath untimely yielded my days: with that she
groaned, and then using her former expressions, cryed out, Love my
memory however, since I die for thee. She uttered not one word
afterwards, being as good as her word: The good woman lookt strangely on
me, every one passing their verdict, and all concluding her none of my
Wife. The _first Christians_ under the great _Persecution_, suffered not
in 500 years so many several wayes, as I did in five hours, by the
peoples Tongues. I must needs say, I took it very much to heart, that
Report, which made _Richard_ the _Second_ alive so often after he was
dead, should kill me as often whilst alive; desiring them at last to
wave their Censures (which they exprest publickly) I intreated them with
all the Rhetorick I could produce to endeavour the reviving of my Wife,
which if past recovery, to use means to preserve the Child. In a short
time they told me that was dead likewise. At first I showed much grief,
which was unfeigned, being not so much afflicted for the loss of her, as
affected with those words she uttered when she breathed her last. I was
too conscious of my own guilt, and therefore they made the deeper
impression in my very Soul.
But all these perturbations of mind I dissipated with a glasse or two of
Canary, which was the common antidote I us’d against care, sorrow, and
vexation, _&c._ I now provided things necessary for her Funeral, which
were not vulgar; which I might the better do, having made my self her
Executor before, taking all she had into my custody. In memorial of her,
and her fidelity, I wrote this Epitaph on her Tombstone.
_Women they say will _lye_, but now I see
’Tis false, to th’ last she spake the _truth_ to me.
Farewel said she, I thought my grief t’have hid,
_I die for love of thee_,——and so she did.
Here with her lies her Child, that strove in vain
To untomb it self to be intomb’d again.
But rest my babe, thy cares with life are gone,
_Thou’lt rise again_, though now a setting Sun.
Though wonders cease, thy Mothers death doth prove
They may revive, for she did _die for love_._