nessesitated to quitt this place, after I had sojorned there two dayes
and two nights. In the 3d night I undertooke to march againe towards
Bourdeaux, which was some 4 leagues from thence. Upon my march I found
the gaurds through the whole night to bee strickly kept in all the
villages, yet I made shift to pas them all by the healp of the great and
continuall noyse the watchmen continually made, which gave me allwayes
sufficient warning to goe by tims about, and soe avoyd the gaurds that
layd waite for me. Yett for all that I could not reach Bourdeaux
undiscovered, for when I came with in a league of the Citty, there was I
met in the morning about 4 of the clock in a plaine place (where two
wayes met) by a man that was one of the cheif of those that gaurded mee
when I made my last escape, and which was also the principall authour of
my borrowing my long coate. He desired mee to make hast to goe with him
to Bourdeaux, though hee had noe armes at all. At lenght his patience
being tired, and thincking infallibly I must come to Bourdeax for releif
both of meate and cloathes, hee went before, out of an intention to lay
waite for mee through others, either by the way or at the Cittie gatts.
Now I was againe possesed with a new fright, for to goe directly without
any delay into the Citty would bee my present mine, and to tarry without
in the feilds did threaten noe less, because I wanted both food and
rayment; yet counting it my best to make choyce of the lesser evill, I
resolved to keepe my selfe in the feild, soe long as I might bee able to
subsist without meate (for though I had lost my warme coate againe, yet
could I make some shift to endure the weather by reason of the wooll
where with my whole body was covered after the manner expressed). Soe
thinking it a greater happines to perrish by hunger and frost (if it had
soe pleased unto God) then to have yeilded my selfe to myne adversaryes
crueltys, I tooke up in this beleefe the bottome of an hedge for my bed
within an English myle from Bourdeaux and remained two dayes.
Again the 3^{d} day before it was light I drew neere to the towne into
the suburbs, to the end that I might with more expedition gitt to the
water side in the beginning of the next evening before it would bee toe
late; and having layin hidden in the ruines of an owld house all the day
long I went soe soone as it was darke, and came to the water side,
where the shippers are used to have their constant meetings. There I
first met with an Hollandish merchant of a shipe, unto whom I made
knowne my desire to goe along in his ship, engaging my selfe to pay unto
him the sum of 5000 livers for his reward, where and whensoever hee
should land without the kingdom of France. But this man, because I was
not able to speake plaine Hollandish without mixing some English amongst
it, tould me that I was an English rogue, and hee would rather bee a
meanes to helpe me to the gallowes then to carry mee in his ship. Thus
taking my answer from this inhuman Hollander I went to another man that
was master's mate of a great Lubeckish ship, which was ready to sett
sayle the next day. This Lubecker having received my complaints was
mooved with compacion, and tooke mee on board, where both hee and all
the men of the ship expressed greate love to mee, and put mee into
another habitt againe with ould cloathes, furnishing mee among
themselves with dublitt, britches, long coate and other nessisaryes, soe
that I looked now like a rationall man againe, whereas in my former
habitt I seemed to bee a distracted person. As for passage they doubted
not but they should prevaile with the master of the ship who did lye one
shoare that night, but came the next morning on shipboard, in the meane
time they entertayned mee with the best accomodation they had.
Being thus tenderly entertayned that night, when I wakened the next
morning, I found my feete in which I had felt noe warmnes many dayes
before, soe much swelled, and soe full of paine, after this warme
lodging, that I was not able to stand upright without greate greefe, nor
to abide my shoes upon them. Now as soone as the master came, all the
men in the shipp made intercession for mee to gitt his consent for my
passage, and my selfe promised him as much as I did the Hollander for my
transportation before mentioned; but he being of a dogged surly
disposition would give no eare to my complaints nor take to hart my
woefull mesery, pleading for the safety of his ship and goods, which by
my being their would be exposed to the danger of confiscation, in case
said he that I weere found theirin by the searchers. Yet he said if so
be that I could get so far as Blaye, and shew myselfe their on the shore
side, his men should fetch me into the ship after it had beene searched,
and so I might then goe along with him to Lubeck. Here my sorrowes were
multeplyed againe in an unspeakable manner, because as all my former
endeavours even so this project which I had taken for my last refuge was
fruitllesse. As much as my hart was refreshed the day before, when
getting on ship board I came from dispaire to some hopes of a
deliverance, so much and farr more was I now dejected, being reduced
from hope to dispaire againe. For although the maister of the ship made
some promisse to take me along with him if I could get to Blay, yet
being altogether deprived of the present use of my feet, I could not
conceive any hopes to gett thither and so to enjoy the comfort of his
promisse neither. This desperate condition of myne gave so sad a
spectacle to beholders in the ship that it fetched teares from their
eyes when they saw me tourned into the boate againe, for they looked
upon me as one that was going to a wofull and miserable end.
Now when I was carryed on the shore againe the men in the ship, who was
much greived with the maisters obstanacy, made a collection among
themselves, and fournished my pocket with a French crowne in money, and
giving me five or six dayes provision of bisket and pootered beefe they
landed me on the other side of the river, with an earnest expectation
that I should strive to the utmost of my power to get to Blaye, which
was eight leagues from thence, and their they would watch for my coming
to fetch me on ship board.
Being set on shoare about two of the clock in the afternoon, I did force
myselfe to march, though my feet raged as if they had beene full of
needles, and every step I sett was like a knife run through my heart,
yet to strive for my life I would hazzard the losse of my feete, and
have endured the greatest paine in going to Blaye then to fall into the
hands of mine enimyes againe. Thus I marched in great paine all that day
and the night following, without any obstruction because I was unknowne
of that side of the water. The next morning about tenn of the clock I
was met with a younge ougly looking country fellow, who hearing by my
tongue that I was a stranger, bore me company, till he met two men of
his aquaintance, then he together with them fell upon me, and tooke the
crowne from me, and most part of the bisket which the seamen in the ship
had bestowed on me, pretending that I was a spy left behind by the
Spanish fleet which was lately in the river, and so my cloaths being not
worth the taking they lett me goe. But within halfe an houre after upon
better consideration they made an alarum after me by sounding the horne,
which was presently taken round about, wherby I became subject to as
much persecution as I had beene on the other side of the water, for
although I had other habit yet did all the country take me for the man
that was discribed in the hue and cry the two weeks before, seing that
all that came to speake with me reviled me for an English trator. The
alarum was so great that the troopers which quartered their abouts went
the rounds on the high wayes till evening, and at night the countrymen
kept their guards as strictlie as those did on the other side of the
water.
Heere I was cast into a new despaire againe, for besides that I had lost
all hopes of getting to Blay, by reason that my feete were nott onely
very much swelled by the frost after the manner aforsaid, butt my soales
were alsoe blistred that I was now disabled for going any more, there
was moreover this block cast in my way, that I was now described and
besett with guards in a waterish and inhedged country, and had yett a
great river betweene mee and Blay to passe over, where without all doubt
I was laide waite for in case I had bin able to goe further. Being by
these meanes forced to desist from my resolution to meete the shippe att
Blay, I fell into an hedge to hide mee from the rage of the countrymen
and troopers which did every where attend mee. There I lay in a
deplorable condition, sorely oppressed with greif both of body and
minde; my feete full of raging paine were noe more able to carry mee,
myne heart broke within mee with the conceit that alwayes my later
calamities proved more desperate then the former, and the more that I
strove to gett out of my misery that still the more I should sinke the
deeper into the same. Hence I could nott butt fall into these thoughts,
that the Lord had utterly rejected mee, that hee would bee favourable
noe more, seing hee had sett mee as a marke into the which hee would
shoote all his arrowes of anger; for when I looked for a time of healing
behold my troubles increased, having bin frustrated in this attempt
which I tooke for the last remedy of myne evill, I gave it for lost in
regard I was now altogether disabled to make any further escape as I was
formerly wont to doe when I was taken. In so hopeless a condition I
spent my tyme under the said hedge that day and the night following,
making an end of my provision that the robbers had left me.
The next day continuing still in the same place, because I was not able
to goe nor knew I whether to goe, the hedge wherin I lay being very
thin, I was discovered by some boyes that kept sheep (about two of the
clock in the afternoone) their abouts, who as soone as they had seene me
ran to the villadge hard by to give notice of my being their. Wher upon
seing myselfe discovered, though before I was not able to stand on my
feet, yet did feare so far overcome me that to shun any danger as long
as possible I could make any shift to crawle a little way from thence to
hide myself in a securer place. But as I was gott a quarter of a myle
from the place where I lay in, it began to raine very hard; so seing a
great house not far of I had a desire to try whether I could finde same
shelter about the same, and coming neare it I entered into a stable one
of whose doores was opened towards the feild the other into a court
before the house. This stable being large was accomodated not only for
cattell on the one side but also for all manner of other uses, for I
found theirin a winepresse round about, their was also laid some cart
loads of faggotts of greene furrs betweene which and the presse I did
hide my selfe thinking it a great happinesse to be out of the cold winde
and raine into a dry place wherby I hoped to have a warme nights
lodging. Perceiving but little company about the house, when I came
first into the stable I lay their with great confidence, not suspecting
any body knew of my being their, yet before I had beene their halfe an
houre, the good man of the house with two of his servants came home from
the feild and received information conserning me of his son, a little
boy of some 13 or 14 yeares old, who see my coming into the stable and
watched me ever since then, wherby he knew that I was not come forth
againe. Here upon great and small come into the stable rejoyceing for to
have gotten the theife for whose sake all the townes and villages
theirabouts had been fame to keepe guard all the night past, and being
assured that I could have no other hiding place but under the furrs they
sent for two longe hay forkes to remoove them all to come att me. I, in
the meane tyme full of terror and trembling as soone as I perceived that
I was discovered, forced myselfe under the winepress which was joyned to
one side of the wall, the bed their of lay on two peices of timbre which
being some five foot one from another were no thicker then my body so
that with hard shift I could worke betwixt the bed and the ground upon
my belly to the wall. Being crept under it as farr as I could, I tooke
an old peece of wood which accidentally lay their and left it with other
small sticks in the outside under the bed theirby to prevent in them all
suspicion of my being under the presse. Now when they had remooved all
the furrs and come to the full sight of the bed of the winepress they
tooke it for granted that I could not be their, because the hollownesse
between the ground and the bed was so flat in their apprehentions that
they judged it altogether uncapable of receiving a man, theirfore they
only ran the forke into the peice of wood which I had laid out of the
mouth of the hollow, and having tourned the same they made no further
scruple of that place, but were taken with great wonder and amazment,
being confident I had beene seene going into the stable and not coming
out againe, or if I was gott out it was not by naturall meanes but by
witchcraft. Nevertheless suspecting that perhaps he might be mistaken in
watching my coming forth either into the feild or into the court (though
both the doors of the stable were so placed that from one station he
could looke them both) because it was now darke, and their were more
stables and a great deale of timber in the court where I might hide
myselfe in case I were got out of the stable, the maister of the house
sett his two men to watch in the court all the night over till the next
morning that they might make a more exact search for me.
The two watchmen walked the round in the court all the fore part of the
night, while in the meane tyme about eleaven of the clock, being weary
to lye longer in so cumbersome a posture, I gott forth from underneath
the winepress, where I had lyen now about nyne houres flatt on my belly
till all my joynts felt like dead, because being pressed close to the
ground I had no roome to turne myselfe nor to make any motion with my
body. Being gott out of this straite lodging I sheltered myselfe
betweene the cattle that stood on one side of the stable observing the
motion of the said watchmen, which having borne the labour of the day
and now walked till now about midnight began to longe for some rest,
because they could not perceive all that tyme the least signe of my
being their abouts. They blamed the boy for making such trouble with his
groundless fancies and came into the stable where I was, laying
themselves downe to sleepe hard by the doore that went into the court,
and after they had a little reasoned that I could not breake open the
doore about the court without making a great noyse they went boldly to
sleepe while I heartely prayed for their good rest. As soone as I judged
them to be fast a sleepe I passed by them into the court where I found
all the doors locked and the walls so high that by no meanes I could
gett over them. I walked an houre up and downe devising by what shift I
might get out into the feilds, at length finding no other meanes to
escape I pitched upon a doore which went into a vineyard joyning to the
house, and seeing this doore went not close to the threshold upon the
ground but lacked so much of his full length as that I could put my fist
under it, I tooke a small peice of a tree and lifted the said doore from
the hinges and after I had loosened it, being both in feare and hast, I
could not prevent the falling of it to the ground, wherby presently the
whole house tooke an alarum, but I having now before me a great hole to
get out by would make no stay to looke for the issue of that alarum but
ran a pace till I gott without the bounds of that vineyard.
Thus in the midst of my greatest trouble I received comfort againe,
though it was but such as in relation to a better condition was
comparable to dispare it selfe, for although I had drawne my foot out of
the snare yet knew not where to fix my biding but must of necessity fall
into another againe. I was become like a ship that upon a tempestuous
sea hath lost his rudder and sailes and can no more be guided by the
discretion of the steersman to any harbour of safty, but left to the
mercyless waves to be overtourned and swallowed up in the deepe, to be
cast upon the rocks of despaire. Even so was I at this instant deprived
of all hope and counsell to direct my course either to the right or left
for safety, seing nothing but signes of unavoidable destruction round
about me.
Being thus at liberty againe to seeke another hiding place I walked or
rather crawled upon my pittifull feet out of one feild into another, not
knowing nor careing which way I went, till againest day I lit on another
barne which stood by itself about a stones cast from the dwelling house.
Coming to this barne I found a little haystack piled up against a wall
the which, the weather being very ill, was a great invitation to me to
take up my lodging on the top of it, perswadeing my selfe that no body
would suspect or seeke me theire. In this confidence I made shift to get
to the top of it, and having prepared me a place wherin I might lye both
secret and warme I fell presently a sleepe, not wakeing till about nyne
of the clock. Being wakened I saw two country fellows at the barne doore
standing on purpose to watch least I should get away before those came
for whom they had sent to aprehend me. Here the comfort my last nights
escape had gotten in me was tourned into dispaire againe, although I
knew not by what meanes or after what manner I had beene discovered so
soone, only I ghesed that either some body had seene me goe into the
barne, or else the servants when they came to feed a couple of oxen
which stood in a pertition made in the corner of the barne had heard me
make some noyse in my hard sleepe. How ever it came these same fellows
thought themselves very sure of me, mocking and jearing with my
pittifull condition, and demanding of me why I would rather come to be
taken in their barne then their neighbours house which was but halfe a
mile from thence. I had bewitched their neighbours eyes, but I should
not bewitch theirs. With such and the like jeasts they passed their tyme
till the good wife of the house called them to dinner; then they went to
the dwelling house, and fetched their meat, with an intent to dine
without the doore that so they might both eate and have an eye to the
prisoner.
As soone as they were gone I raised myselfe from my couch and perceiving
in the little pertition where the oxen stood that their was a hole
broken in the wall some nyne foot from the ground for to let the light
in I hasted downe from the stack and went into the said stable and
making meanes by a long beame to get up to the hole, after I had looked
out of it, I found that it would be very narrowly overlooked by them
that stood in the doore of the dwelling house. Yet because the watchmen
that were at dinner saw a little more to that side of the doore where
they could not give so good attendance to the hole as to the barne
doore, I retourned to creep out and fell into a thicket of briers which
were under the hole, and on that side of the barne. Being gotten to the
ground I crept in the bottom of these bryers till I came at the back of
the barne, then could I goe whether I would without disturbing the
watchmen, being at their dinner. Now because it was daylight I durst not
venture far to seeke a hiding place for feare of being betrayed againe,
I was constrained to fall into a ditch under a thick hedge near the high
way that came from Burdeaux. I had not lien long their before the alarum
conserning me was made as fresh as ever it was. The troopers went too
and fro upon the high wayes, and all the travillers that passed by me
made me the cheife subject of their discourse, giving to my hearing
(because I laid on the way side) their severall judgments upon me, one
counting me a crafty fellow, another tooke me for a witch by reason that
I had beene so oft in hold and yet escaped as oft again beyond their
expectations that had me in coustody.
All these things that I heard and saw could promisse nothing else but a
finall ruine to me, neither could I since I was disapointed in my
journey to Blaye think upon any way more wherby I might conceive any
hopes of life; yet as every day brought forth new troubles, so new
troubles led me upon new devices, new devices gave me new experiences
of the wonderfull mercyes of God. Even so while I lay in the bottom of
the hedge struggleing for life, I began to have new consultations
againe; though I had hitherto beene frustrated in all my attempts, as
longe as I enjoyed breath I thought it my duty to nature to thinke upon
others. However the latter project semed to be more desperate then the
former. I resolved theirfore to retourne to Bourdeaux againe being no
further then three leagues from thence, and to apply myselfe to some
Hambrough marchants, thinking if the Lord would yet looke upon my
afflictions that he was able to incline their harts towards me, and make
them instruments of my recovery, and keepe me also out of the hands of
my enimyes which lived their, but if he intended to bring me to a wofull
end in this world I counted it as expedient for me to submit to his good
pleasure their, as in the country where not the least hope of life did
appeare to me.
To prosecute this resolution, as soone as it was darke I laboured to get
forward to Burdeaux with as much speed as I could. Finding the guards
very vigilant in all villages I made shift to pass by them with going
about where occation served, but as I came to an open market towne
within two leagues of Burdaux I met with a small river at the hither
end of the towne. Because of the low waterish grounds and deepe ditches
and thick hedges, this place was so barrocaded up with carts and ladders
and through all the night so strongly guarded that by no means it was
possible for me to get through or by it, although I spent all the whole
night in trying all manner of wayes to gett by. Against morning I went a
little back to hide myselfe in a great empty barne which stood aloane in
an inclosed feild, in hope that it would not be frequented much by day
by any people, because their was nothing in it but some rotten and
decayed straw under which I lay hid. Their I took my rest undiscovered
till about one of the clock, their came halfe a dozen children which in
their play running up and downe a top of the straw came to tread upon me
as I lay in my sleep. Herby they presently discovered me, saying that I
was the theife for whom they had watched all the last night, they would
goe to tell their fathers of my being theire. And so they being gon
their way I thought it not safe for me to stay their till the
inhabitants should come to take me with delibration, theirfore I went
forth to seeke another hiding place, but could finde none ready to my
hand, because of the ditches under the hedges were brim full of water.
In the meane while I came accidentally to see the barrecado which the
townes men had made the night before for my sake to be without any guard
(for they thought I durst not march by day in view of the people--they
kept only guard in the night tyme) I resolved to make use of this
opportunity, and to venture through the towne at noone day. Thus
comitting myselfe to the Lord I marched with confidence through the
towne whilest the people theirin least expecting my coming, because it
was about dinner tyme I did not meet many on the streets, divers men
looking over the doores, and seeing me goe fistling as though I heard
nothing, knew not what to make of me. I went in a poore seamens habbitt,
yet by that tyme I was gott through the other end of the towne they
bethought themselves better, and suspected that I was he for whose sake
they watched the last night, calling after me and desiring me to tarry,
and I refused to hearken to their call, they cryed aloud their was the
traytor we looked for the last night. But before they could be ready to
come or send after me, I being now got through the towne went backward
behind the middle of the towne, where I did hide myselfe againe whilest
some of the townes men pursued me in the way to Burdeaux.
I continued my march the next night carrying nevertheless about me and
before me the alarum all the night longe till I came to the river side,
only now being in a dry country I could shunne at pleasure all their
guards by goeing about, receiving always sufficient warning by the
singing and clamouring they used where they were. The morning following
I gott to the river side some two English miles before Burdeaux, taking
up my quarters on the bottom of a steep hill overgrowne with small wood
on purpose to overlooke all the conveniences how I might get privately
in the evening tyme into the Citty, their to put my last project in
practice. And when it was broad day light that I could see all about the
sittuation of the towne and river I found myselfe in another mistake,
wherby all my hopes were dashed with one blow as it were to peeces; for
I was perswaded all this while that their was a bridge extant over the
river into the Citty, over which I intended to have pased in the duske
of the evening when no body would have taken notice of me, but now I was
come neer the Citty I found no such thing, and counted myselfe to be in
as great a strait as ever I was, for to desire passage over the water of
any waterman I durst not venture, unlesse I would be carried by him
directly into the hands of myne enimyes againe, neither had I any money
to pay for my passage, and to be transported for charrity I could not
expect from any in that country. I was now as neare if not neerer to
despaire as the Israelites were at the Red Sea, being persecuted by
innumerable enimyes that were round about, and sorely oppressed with
hunger within, besides the pittifull condition of my feet. I gave over
all hope of life, unlesse the Lord would work further mirracles for my
deliverance as he had done formerly.