Part 5

The night coming on a pace we prepared for a martch againe, and tooke our leave from the house we were in. Comeing forth those of my guard went two before and two behinde keepeing close to my horse heeles because it was very darke. When we weere gott againe so far as the farmers house where they borrowed my longe coate, they desired me to restore the coate to the owners againe. In the meane while the farmer himselfe came forth of the house entreating my guard to come into the house, and being entered the men that gaurded me set themselves round about a table while I was walking up and downe the roome with the borrowed coate on my back still. And seeing by and by the attentions of the men taken up with their cupps, and the doggs which were taken along on purpose to observe my motion in the darke striving about the warmest place in the chimney corner, I thought it to be the season for which I had looked with great expectation ever since I gott the coate on my backe. I made bold theirfore to step out of the roome with leasure as though I had some private businesse to doe without, and assoone as I was gotten out I pulled of the coate, and taking it under my arme I went in hast to try once more my heeles, which though they weere lame before yet now they were become as light as ever they were. I ran with all speed towards the open plaine feild which was on one side of the house. I was not gott halfe musket shott from the house before they came to looke for me, and finding me to be gone, they called presently forth the doggs, and sett them with a great and impetuous storme against the wood which was on the other side of the house, suspecting that I had taken that wood for my refuge rather then the open feilds. But I being gon the cleane contrary way, and the doggs amazed and confounded with the rageing cry of six or seaven men so that they could not take notice of me as I ran on, the poore men lost their labours and I gott my libberty by the assistance of God, together with a good warme coate to my back.

In the end of the game, to take all possible heed from falling into their or any mans hands againe, I steered my coarse directly back againe, to a wood which I knewe formerly being stripped not fair from thence. There I intended to conceale my selfe, and not to goe from thence till hunger should force mee, for I feared because of the nessessity they knew that I was in, I must goe to Bourdeaux for releife, that now they would raise for mee more then ever they did, but if it were soe that I could be some where in secritt two or three dayes till the heat of their fury against mee were some what cooled, then I supposed their gaurds would bee either more careles, or altogeather removed, that soe I might with more safety gitt throw to Bourdeaux by night. And coming into the wood, I found in the same a Church with an empty parson's house, and continued there, for the space of two dayes. The first night I lodged my selfe in the oven for feare of any bodyes coming into the house, for I knew not in the darke that I was soe far from neighbours. But the next day when it was light, I chose for my habitation a great come chest which stood upon leggs a foote and ½ high from the ground, and was in all about seaven foote deepe, and there I spent the rest of the time, as long as I stayed there, onely in the night I went forth to squench my thurst, out of the trench that went about the church yard. This was the best lodging that I had since I leaped over the wall at Bourdeaux; for in the morning after I first came in I found in a corner an owld sack full of wooll of about 15^{lb}. weight, which being most in great fleeces was of singular use to mee in supplying the want of cloathes, for I contryved to wrap my whole body to the knees into itt, putting the wooll to my skin and tying my canvas wastcoate and britches on the tope of it whereby I became as warme although not soe fashonnably clad as ever I was.

The stoare of my provision being totaly exhausted, I was now 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.