night, then I went downe into the plaine which was all along the river
side, to see whether I could get a peece of bread by begging in the
darke (for I had beene now foure dayes without) thinking that no body
would be ready to apprehend me if I fell not upon a guard. And as I came
to a house, asking but in vaine for a peece of bread for God's sake, I
perceived that they were making fire into a baking oven standing in an
out house in the garden which together with the house was incompased
with a deepe moate round about. This same sight caused me to looke to
the oven while the bread was bakeing, to that end I got into the next
vineyard and made passage into the said garden with a bundle of sticks
which lay in that vineyard, filling the moate with them being ready to
my hand. Being by this meanes gott into the garden I watched with great
longing till the bread was put into the oven, and when it had an hours
baking I made bold to step to the oven, and tooke the iron shutter downe
wherwith the mouth was stopped rearing it against the wall upon some
cloggs of wood; then I reached forth a loafe with the bread shovill, but
having got it to the mouth of the oven the iron shutter fell downe and
made a very great noyse, which so frighted me that I let the shovill
fall and run for my life. The man of the house came presently running
towards the oven, but I was gone before he could see me, and so my
designe to get bread came to nothing. Afterwards I walked about all the
night, out of one vineyeard into another on the water side, studdying
how I might get over the water. At length my deliberations came to this
result, that I intended to seek a boat some where on the river side,
wherin I might endeavour to put myselfe over the river by stealth in the
night tyme, though it semed very difficult to me, both for breadth of
the river and for the luggish and unweildiness of the boates which were
their abouts, for I could find no less then such as would carry at least
three horses at one tyme, which could not be guided by one man and
without a rudder too. Yet necessity compelling me to make use of such
occasions as I could get, I was fully resolved to prosecute this
conclusion, only as the tyde fell out I could not put it into practice
before two or three dayes were past when I might have a flowing water
about ten or eleven of the clock at night.
The maine question now in debate with me was how I should subsist so
many dayes longer without bread, for having fasted already foure dayes I
was now theirby, as also by former hardship, brought so low that to my
thinking I could not be able to goe another day. But the determination
of that query was so far above the reach of my reason that I could not
contribute the least thought towards it. Theirfore I did cast myselfe
wholy upon the Lord's providence and went against daybreake to my former
lodging upon the hill againe, the lower ground next to the river not
yeilding me as yet any convenient hiding place by reason of the watery
ditches under the hedges. Their I sat and had a faire prospect which was
very fitt to overlook the country, but not the end of my mesery. Because
it was Sunday I beheld all the inhabitants merry and joviall below,
while I was ready to faint for hunger and greife above. No earthly thing
had place in my thoughts but bread, bread, great store of which was not
far from me but to come by very hard for me. About tenn of the clock I
saw both men and women to flock very thick to the Church which was neare
an English mile from thence, the which sight gave me occation to think
that whilest the most part of men were at masse I might goe downe
without any great danger, and try the charrity of the maids and women
that were left at home to looke to the houses, if perhaps they would
take pitty on me and succour me with a peece of bread. And when I came
downe I came from one house to another to beg for releife, useing all
the arguments of perswation as ever any begger in the world did, yet
could not stir the least compassion in any of them what pittifull
expressions soever I made to them, but instead of an almes they bestowed
so many heavy curses and ill wishes upon me. Whereat neverthelesse I was
not daunted, but hunger helping me to beare all reproaches I continued
to solicite though to no purpose one house after another, till at the
length I came at a house where no body was at home, but were all at the
masse. Wherupon to try all manner of conclutions for my releife I made
bold to climbe into the window, not fearing any neighbours because all
the houses stood by themselves a great way asunder, and seing the
chimney to have some live coales in it, I doubted not but the cubbard
would also afford some bread. I broke open the window and went into the
house streight way to the cubbard, not minding anything else in the
house. Having opened the cubbard I found nothing else then a loafe of a
peck of houshold bread one quarter wherof was eaten, I borrowed the
rest, together with a pipkin full of fatt gathered both of boyled and
roaste meate holding about a pinte. Having performed what I came in for
I went out at the window againe, and being by that meanes provided by
the spetiall providence of God and theirby enabled to subsist for some
dayes till the tide would fall out later to carry on my designes to get
over the water by night.
I went now to consider of a place where I might spend this prey in rest
and safty, and knowing that all the sittuation theirabouts would not
aford me a better accomodation then the presse house joyned to the same
dwelling house where I borrowed the loafe, both being under one roofe
only distinguished by a partition wall in the midle, I went into the
same, in hopes that the people of the house when they came home would
not once suppose me to have tarried so neare the place wher I had
comitted such a fact, but that they would rather perswade themselves
that I was gon further to conceale my actions. This presse house was
very full of lumber, and their was amongst the rest a great coupe or fat
about nyne foot high and seaven foot wide. I liked this coupe so well
that I made use of it for my lodging as long as I should stay on this
side of the water, supposeing that their I should lye in no bodys way to
be discovered, because no body could get neither in nor out of the same
without a ladder. But having first made provision how to get in and out
by meanes of a long rope and longe notched peece of wood reared up
within the tubb, went into the same and fell to feed upon such cheare as
God had sent me, giving God praise both for this seasonable releife and
for so necessary and convenient lodging prepared for me, for I estemed
myselfe now to want nothing having meate within the fatt with me, and
their lay four hogsheads of small wine or burick (made with water
wherwith the grapes are washed after they are pressed over againe) in a
room which was instead of a seller under the dwelling house, but the
dore of it came into the press house. Their as often as I was dry and
nobody in the way I went to drinke my fill with a reed out of the
bung-hole opened with an iron naile which I continually carryed about
me.
I had not beene longe in the fatt before my landlord came home, who
with all the rest of his houshold was much amazed at the honesty, yet at
the boldness of the theife was offended, because he had offered to
breake open nothing but the cubbard, and carryed away nothing but the
bread, and the fat driping. When he made his complaints to his
neighbours of his ill fortune, they told him that I had been begging at
their doores, and that I was not come back againe that wayes, but if he
would finde me out he must goe forewards his house. Borrowing in the
meane tyme another loafe he went to dinner with his family which
consisted of two men besides himselfe and two women. After diner they
went all up and downe to inquire whether I had bent my course. One of
the men being wiser then the rest my foot prints were easily diserned
from other folks who all both great and small made use of wooden shooes
which having no high heeles make farre another print then other shooes
doe, and doeing after this manner they found indeed I was come into the
house, but that I was neither retourned nor gon beyond the house, so
they concluded that infallably I must be still in the presse-house
hidden under the lumber that was theirin. They began theirfore to remove
with great confidence all the lumber and empty caskes that was in the
presse house, which was so tedious a worke that it kept them busy from
two of clock till darke night, having not the least conjecture all this
while of the great fatt wherin I lay fearing and trembleing, because
they were sure that without a ladder I could not get out nor into the
same. Thus having wearyed themselves with searching for me in vaine till
evening they gave over searching, and I kept quiet possession of my tub
till Wedensday in the morning.
I came forth somtymes for drinke and motion of my body, especially in
the night tyme, but when the Lord intended to let me see another
experiment of his power and love towards me, he let it come to passe
that on Weddensday in the morning about day break I fell as I was in my
sleepe into a violent coughing, caused by some humors falling into my
throat, of which though it were for my life I was not able to refrain
myselfe, so that those that were in the dwelling house came theirby to
heare distincly wher I was and had beene ever since Sunday noon; for the
great tubb made such an eccho, that they presently called to me out of
the window of the dwelling house that looked into the pressehouse
congratulating and jearing me with my strangly conceited lodging.
Theirupon the good man of the house sent imediatly his two men to guard
the doore of the presshouse, and himselfe when it was breake of day
went to advise with his neighbours how to send to their Justice of peace
to give notice of my condition.
Now my hopes began again to faile, being falne into the hands of those
who in regard of their owne wrong they had received from me would use
their uttmost endeavours to look more narrowly to my coustody then ever
any did before, yet considering how the Lord had owned me hithertoo with
so many wonderfull deliverances I would not cast away all courage, what
grounds of dispaire soever came into my way, but perswaded myselfe
confidently that he would not have wrought so many wonderfull evasions
heretofore if he intended to destroy me in the end. Theirfore I doubted
not but that the Lord would finde some way to deliver me even from these
present feares, though the manner how was hidden from mine eyes till
noon. For then it came to passe that the watchmen which otherwise stood
constantly at the doore of the press-house had their dinner brought
them, for the eating of which they seated themselves on the ground some
what to the left hand of the doore, so that I had liberty to creep out
of the great fatt without their sight, and to passe by the doore without
their sight into the roome where the foure hogsheads of beverick before
mentioned were. Now having heretofore observed the structure of the
house, and knowing their were a paire of stairs built after the Scotch
fashon without the maine wall by which they went up into the dwelling
roome, and that underneath the staires their was a concavity fitted for
a hogstye into the which their was made a hole through the maine wall
out of the roome where the drinke lay, I went whilest the watchmen
minded their dinner to creepe through that hole, and being with much
pains (because it was both little and high from the ground) gott through
I laid close in the said hogstye till evening; not dareing to stir forth
because of the watchmen standing at the presshouse which was hard by the
front of the stairs, the doore of the hogsty being on the backe of the
same. After the watchmen had dined they went to their station againe in
the press-house, fastening the doore, and sett themselves on jeering and
mocking the theife in the tubb, not knowing the change of my quarters.
Againe evening when it became dark they drew themselves to a place not
far from the tubb. Their they made themselves merry with useing all
manner of idle talke to me as they thought in the tubb, desiring me to
content my selfe with my lodging one night longer and I should be
releived the next morning betymes. It being quite darke I went out of
the hogstye, where I had lyen since one of the clock in great feare,
because their went a foot path close by me on which much people used to
walke, and could as they came along fully see me in the hogstye, which
had no corner to hide me in but was only a square hole capable to
receive one hogg. But by providence it began to raine very hard soon
after I was got into it, and continued so till ten of the clock at
night, by reason wherof they that went by had either their faces covered
or were faine to look to their feet to keep themselves from slipping.
Then I made for the water side to looke for the boate that I had made
choyse of on Saturday night before, and having found it I ventured about
ten of the clock to goe over in it, giving myselfe to the streame which
of itselfe carried me upwards being some two miles below Burdeaux, and
with a strick wrought to make way to cross the River which their abouts
was neare an English mile broad, and by these meanes I arived safely on
the Chartrux in Burdeaux about twelve of the clock at night, discharging
the boate after my arivall by comitting it to the care of the streame
againe. Being landed I went to hide myselfe and take up my rest in the
ruins of an house in the subbearbs on the other side of the towne. In
the morning as soon as it was light I retourned to the Charterux to
inquire for some Hambrough marchants, and having found two of them
living in one house, I declared to them my straits that I was in,
desiring them in charrity to assist and helpe me till I could get
releife by letters of credit from my freinds. I durst not aquaint them
with the grounds and circumstances of my mesery upon what account I had
beene persecuted (for then they would have beene affraid to medle with
me), only I told them that I was coming with other company from Rochell
and I fell sick, wherby I was forced to stay behind for two or three
dayes, and being recovered I came along with a guide, and being halfe
the way betweene Rochell and Burdeaux I was set upon by three robbers
who tooke all that I had from me, stripping me also of my cloaths. These
gentlemen gave some credit to my complaint with much to doe, being
neverthelesse full of doubts whether or no I was not an imposture or
vagabond run away from the Spanish or French army, yet could they not
altogether withdraw their comiserations from my pittifull complaints,
especially hearing of mine acquaintance with severall men of credit in
Hambrough. Theirfore as the credit which they gave to my relation was
mixed with doubts so they recomended me to a poore drinking house, where
upon their word I had some poore entertainment mixed with sorrow. It was
such as came short of that I had in the tub before I was discovered,
only it served very narrowly to keepe body and soule together till I
gott other releife. Very loathsom and musty bread, or livers, sheep and
hoggs lights, were my best faire on flesh dayes. On fasting dayes
(videl:) Frydayes and Saturdayes I was glad to be contented with sopps
made of the said bread scalded with water and greased over with stinking
oyle.
And with all this I should have beene contented and have counted myselfe
happye might I but have enjoyed withall a kinde looke of my landlady
once a weeke, but she was such an inveterate and malicious woman,
desended as I thought of an infernall progenety, as that I never knew
the like of her. Her humour was such that she would maunder all the
weeke like a cursed dog, and if a straw crossed her the whole house
trembled at her indignation, none, not the goodman of the house himselfe
dareing to come into her presence till her fury was spent; and when she
wanted other matter of scolding my poverty was the maine subject of her
malice, because she perceived the recomendation of my freinds (the
marchants that brought me thither) to proceed from a coole affection she
respected me no better then a begger that is maintained for God's sake,
upbraiding me dayly with the poore entertainment she gave me, and
threatening oft to tourne me out of doores. So impetuous and formidable
was the carriage of this Proserpina, and made me so tame and so
aplicable that upon her command I served her for a scullion boy in all
occations, waiting upon the ghests that came to drink their to carry
their potts to the celler, and performing all manner of servile duties
all the tyme of my being their. She made me tourne the spitt, the which
preferment indeed was more agreable to my present habbit then my
stomack, nor did the action itself so much greive me as the conceit to
think I should not eat of the roast meat but take only the smell for my
paines. In this practise I continued almost a moneth, keeping constantly
within doores both for shame of my poore habbit and for feare of myne
enimies, till I got releife by a bill of Exchange from my freinds. Then
I changed my lodging, and put my selfe into another habbit againe.
I prepared for a journey to retourne by land to Roan, by the way of
Paris. Now because I had beene so frighted with that nation I feared my
journey would proove but uncomfortable to me if I should travaile
without aquaintance, I made choyce of a younge man whom I had learned to
know in my poore lodging but lately mentioned. This young man was borne
and had his parents in Roan, but had beene for many yeares in the Low
Countryes, by reason wherof he spoke good Dutch; he had beene lately
taken by an English vessell and set on shoare near the River of Garrone.
Having understood his desire to be at Rouen I promissed to beare his
charges if he would goe along with me; he was much pleased with this
offer of mine only he desired to take the consent of some of his
friends. Now this young man beyond my expectation had a kinsman in
Bourdeaux who was a familiar friend and daly aquaintance of one that was
among the number of my principall adversaries liveing in the Citty. Both
the kinsman of my chosen companion and my adversary spoke very good
English, for they had lived a longe tyme in England, and when the said
yonge man had asked his kinsman's advice about my proffers made to him,
the kinsman was very inquisitive to know my name and my condition; then
having obtained both and theirupon conferred with myne adversary, they
came to finde that I was the man which was upon the stage eight weeks
agoe (when I applyed myselfe to the Hambrough marchants their lay a
great necessity upon me to keepe the same name by which I was
persecuted, or else I could not have sent letters of credit in another
name) then they went to contrive after what manner they might renew my
troubles againe. Now what the reason was they did not areast me
presently before I went from Burdeaux I know not, only besides the
pertickular providence of God. I think it was either for feare that the
English marchants living in Burdeaux with whom they had much dealings,
would take notice of their mallice to the English nation, or else
knowing that I intended to goe to Rochell they judged it more convenient
that I should be accused and tryed where the other of my persecutors
were, especially the first and cheife author of my mesery being of that
number. They gave instruction to my comrade how he should betray me at
Rochell to the said persecutors of mine which then would take further
care of myne accusation.
In the meane tyme I was altogether ignorant of these new plotts, not
having the least suspission of my comrade that he would have played the
traytor with me till I came to Roan in Normandie. But the Lord who had
saved me out of all former troubles would anihilate even this device
against me. For when on the 16^{th} day of January I departed from
Bourdeaux with my traytor, goeing by the water so farr as Blaye we
lodged their that night, having another gentleman from Tours bound to
goe the same way with or in our company. The next morning[28] before we
sett forth we met their accidentally with three horses and a guide which
were to retourne to Poicters. This oppertunity happened very comodiously
for our tourne, seing that I and the other gentleman might gaine a days
journey in the shortness of the way to Paris, for that the gentleman
from Tours and I made choice to goe by the way of Rochell was only for
want of occation to goe the nearest way to Paris. Theirfore I and the
said gentleman, being glad of such an ocasion to shorten our journey,
compounded with the messenger from Rochell with whom we had contracted
at Bourdeaux for our passage to Rochell, giving him halfe fright rather
then to loose a dayes journey. My tretcherous companion, having laboured
as much as he could to hinder our purpose to goe by the way of Poicters,
was much discontented that by this meanes he lost all hopes of coming to
Rochell their to discharge himselfe of his dutye he owed to his cousin,
yet that he might not be wanting in any thing that he might reward me
with an ill tourne for all my kindnesse to him all the way through
France, he sent presently a letter from Blay to his cousin in Bourdeaux
to give him notice that we were not like to come at Rochell, but that we
were gone another way to Paris, desiring him to send further
instructions how he should behave himselfe in the businesse to a
certaine house in Paris, where he would call for it when he should come
thither.
Thus we marched very lovingly to Paris, I having not the least jealousy
of his perfidious dealings, I made him every way equall with me both for
entertainment and accomodation, bearing all his charges and expences by
the way coming to Paris. As soone[29] as we were got into our lodging he
went forth to looke for his directions, which were to be sent after him
by the post by his kinsman above mentioned, and their he received my
accusation subscribed both by my adversaryes at Rochell and of those
that were of my examination at Bourdeaux, together with a letter of
recomendation to a gentleman that was borne in Paris, who had a brother
that kept an inne at Rouen, this gentleman was to take care of my
examination and accusation according to the instructions he had received
from Bourdeaux in writing and from my comrade in word of mouth.
Theirfore the day following, as I and my Judas came to take horse at the
messengers house, he tooke the paines to travaile with us from Paris to
Roan their to execute his commission against me. Now by the way both he
and those that were in our company whom he had aquainted with his
designe began to put forth many merry conceits and perswations of my
future troubles, yet continuing their jeasts that I could not aply any
thing to my selfe openly, but only I entertained some suspition within
myself not taking however any notice of their apish gesticulations, but
carryed my selfe as though I had not perceived the meaning of them.
Being come to Roan this gentleman who was to mannage the businesse by
letter of attorney perswaded me to take up my lodging in his brothers
house, unto which, not to shew myselfe unwilling or any ways daunted, I
willingly consented, still hopeing that perhaps I might be deceived in
my suspisions that I had collected out of their foolish mockeryes, for I
could not imagine that my comrade unto whom I shewed so much love and
freindshippe would have rewarded me with so perfideous dealings.
Because it was darke night when we entered the citty, their could be
nothing done that night, but the next morning betymes they went about
their erand; being in the meane tyme perswaded that I knew not nor
suspected any thing of their plott against me because I carryed myselfe
with a merry countenance among them.